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The following are links to pages on various legal/solicitor websites that discuss our passing-off test case and the importance it now plays in case law. They make interesting reading.
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
"Flopstars" Not At Liberty To Use Name
http://www.mayerbrownrowe.com/london/pdf/ipit_music_legal_upd_feb%2002.pdf
Macfarlanes
Pop Idle (page 8 bottom)
http://www.macfarlanes.com/pdf/ML-Spr02.pdf
Olswang
Popstars - Rival Claims To LIBERTY Name
http://www.olswang.com/branding/legal_news/popstars.html
The Simkins Partnership
Popstars Lose Their Liberty
http://www.simkins.com/archive/sim_archive_template.asp?id=212
Theodore Goddard
Passing Off "Popstars"
http://www.theodoregoddard.com/publicationrequest/pdfs/ip_0302.pdf
or
http://www.theodoregoddard.co.uk/news_brief/media/archive/it/it_03_02a.html
D Young & Co
Taking Liberties - Band Name Conflicts In The News
http://www.dyoung.com/news/liberty.asp
Legal-UK
Loss Of Liberty For Wannabe Popstars
http://www.legal-uk.co.uk/leg_features.taf?_function=display&_section=Legal438&_UserReference=FF1AF55D57D0F90FC06665A1
Fox Williams
Popstars Not At Liberty To Use Band Name
http://www.foxwilliams.co.uk/article.asp?id=272
Watson, Farley & Williams
Unregistered Trade Mark Owners Defeat Use Of Liberty Name
http://www.wfw.com/ipudates/DataProtection.asp
Laytons
Loss Of �Liberty� For Wannabe Popstars
http://www.laytons.com/publications/press_liberty_popstars.htm
Richards Butler
Taking A Liberty
http://www.richardsbutler.com/publics/pdf/taking_a_liberty_sarah_brown.pdf
Or page 14 of 'Dispute Management' pdf documnet below:
http://www.richardsbutler.com/publics/pdf/cdg_newsletter_no_12.pdf
Marketinglaw.co.uk
Funk Combo Wins Battle Of Liberty Bands
Use 'Liberty' for username & password to view article
http://www.marketinglaw.co.uk/open.asp?A=560
Field, Fisher Waterhouse
A Little Goodwill Is Enough
http://www.ffwlaw.com/download/medianewswinter2002.pdf
Labrum Miller
Court Protects Right In Dormant Business Name:
Popstars Finalists May Have To Re-Brand
http://www.labmil.co.uk/siteutilities/news.htm
Davenport Lyons
Intellectual Property
http://www.davenportlyons.com/www/DL_Publications/pdfs/Information_Bulletin_Jan_2002.pdf
Burges Salmon
Publication: Concept - Intellectual Property & Technology News Summer 2002
Title: Popstars Take A Liberty
http://www.burges-salmon.com/publications/concept_newsletter_0702.pdf
Field Fisher Waterhouse at Brandlaw.com
Publication: IP Update No.2 2002
Title: A Little Residual Goodwill in "Liberty" Is Enough
http://www.brandslaw.com/download/IPUpdate2002.pdf
Wedlake Bell
Taking Liberties
http://www.wedlakebell.co.uk/news/intellect/issue102/liberties.html
Appleyard Lees
Stars Of Pop
http://www.applees.co.uk/whats_new/docs/newsletter.pdf
Lawgazette.co.uk
Lawyers Find It Murder on The Dancefloor (Liberty case considered in article)
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/features/archivearticleframe.asp?ArticleName=/gazettearchive/2002-05-02/39arch.txt
Allens Arthur Robinson - Australia
Liberty are mentioned in this Australian band name dispute article:
�� and in a recent UK decision, Sutherland v V2 Music Ltd [2002]EWHC 14, where the claimants were successful in restraining the defendants from performing under the brand name �Liberty 2�, having regard to the established reputation and goodwill of their name �Liberty 1�.�
(Trade marks - Little River Band - dispute over name)
http://www.aar.com.au/pubs/ipbullaug02.htm
or
http://www.aar.com.au/publications/pdf/ipbullaug02.pdf
Allen & Overy
IT & Technology Law Update Feb 2002 Issue no. 36 (Copyright)
http://www.allenovery.com/asp/pdf/Intellectual%20Property%20and%20Technology%20Law%20-%20Feb%202002.pdf
Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys Lecture 25th June 2002
Among cases discussed is the Liberty name trial although they've got it totally wrong when they describe Liberty as 'defunct for 8+ years'. This one seems way off base.
http://www.spr-consilio.com/TimLudbrook.pdf
Or click here to listen to lecture:
http://www.spr-consilio.com/ludbrook.html
Also see �Recent UK High Court Decisions by Tim Ludbrook (Barrister):
www.spr-consilio.com/Ludbrookhandout.pdf (page 10)
10th Annual Trade Marks Conference 27-28 Feb 2003
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, UK
11am, Friday 28 Feb 2003:
Unregistered Marks Following Sutherland v V2 Music: For how long can residual goodwill survive?
By Paul Walsh � Head of Brands Group, Bristows
http://www.euro-legal.co.uk/pdf/890_TradeMarks.pdf
Trade Mark Opposition Decision 4 Nov 2003
Liberty�s case is mentioned in the judgement of an application by Jersey European Airways to register trade marks and opposition thereto by British Airways:
�In Sutherland v V2 Music Ltd Mr Sutherland and Mr Lyall were still pursuing their musical careers by way of reference to Liberty, if in a very small way. No airline business, of any scale, is being conducted under the signs upon which BA relies.�
http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/legal/decisions/2003/o33403.pdf (page 17)
Glasgow University Library - Intellectual Property Law (Hons) 2003/4 Course
- Seminar 6 - Passing Off (Lecturer: Tom Guthrie)
Students are posed a problem and then have to answer 2 questions. Part of the required reading to solve this problem is listed as:
"Sutherland v V2 Music Ltd [2002] EMLR 28 Available on Westlaw":
http://www.lib.gla.ac.uk/courses/law/guthrie.shtml
Or
http://www.law.gla.ac.uk/dbase/Law/Students/UG/Documentation/IntellectualPropertyLaw-93BV.pdf (page12)
Jens Hills & Co, Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London, ECV 0AT, Tel: 020 7490 8160, Fax: 020 7490 8140
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