Webinar: Focus on Trade Marks and Designs: Copy-Cat(erpillar)s in the Food Industry

Overview

Join us for an engaging and timely webinar exploring the world of trade marks and registered designs through a captivating case study from the food industry. We’ll delve into the complexities of branding and IP protection, using high-profile recent cases involving copy-cat branding—with a particular focus on the famous ""copy-cat(erpillar)"" situation.

This session will provide a detailed analysis of how businesses in the food sector (and beyond) navigate the challenges of protecting their unique brands, products, and designs from imitation. We’ll explore key legal issues surrounding trade mark infringement, passing off, and the use of registered designs to protect packaging, logos, and product shapes.

You’ll hear about real-world examples, unpacking the strategies used by brands to defend against copy-cat competitors, and the tools available to prevent others from capitalising on your brand's hard work and reputation. We’ll also look at the broader implications of IP disputes in the food industry, discussing how these issues affect consumer perception, brand identity, and market position.

This webinar will give you valuable insights into protecting your designs and trade marks in a competitive and sometimes litigious marketplace.

Speakers

Catherine Jewell, Partner, Beck Greener LLP

Catherine is a chemist by training, having completed a degree, PhD and post-doc in that discipline before joining the Intellectual Property profession. Catherine’s focus on the application of patent and trade mark law within the chemical, pharmaceutical, and materials sectors has been the cornerstone of her professional journey. Her expertise in patent drafting, prosecution, and strategic IP advice supports clients in navigating complex legal landscapes. With a robust skill set honed over nearly twenty years in the profession, Catherine has been instrumental in growing her clients' intellectual property portfolios and helping to maximize their worth.

Catherine’s commitment extends beyond client work to shaping the next generation of STEM professionals and broadening access to IP careers. Leading Beck Greener’s Corporate Social Responsibility outreach initiatives, she has been the driving force behind impactful projects that inspire students to explore science and law. Coupled with her contributions as a Visiting Lecturer at UCL, Catherine strives to ensure that future entrepreneurs are well-versed in the intricacies of intellectual property within the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

In her free time, Catherine enjoys reading and a nice bit of light murder mystery, as well as biking, running and destructive gardening (not quite the same as rugby, but the closest thing now available).

Kashif Syed, Associate, Beck Greener LLP

Kashif is an experienced trade mark attorney with a number of years of post-qualification practice. He is also a qualified Higher Courts IP Litigator and Advocate with enhanced rights of audience in IP cases before the UK courts, including the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Kashif works with clients ranging from well-known multinationals through to SMEs, operating in a variety of sectors.

Kashif advises on all aspects of trade mark law, including the filing and prosecution of trade mark applications through to registration. He also regularly handles contentious proceedings before intellectual property offices, such as opposition, revocation and invalidity actions, as well as advising and representing clients in infringement matters and the enforcement of trade mark rights before the UK courts. Kashif also has a growing practice in the fields of copyright and designs.

Considered “outstanding” by commentators, Kashif strives to find pragmatic and creative responses to his clients’ issues. He was awarded the Hogarth Prize for the highest mark achieved by a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in the 2018 qualifying litigation and advocacy exams.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter's own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

This event is one of an entire series of webinars by Beck Greener, find out more.

Time

12:30–13:30 GMT.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. We recommend downloading the app from the Microsoft website, rather than using the web portal.