For many years, businesses questioned the merits of filing intellectual property (IP) rights in China because of concerns of widespread counterfeiting and limited enforcement and practical protections. While those historic concerns were not entirely unfounded, today, the greater risk for
Intellectual Property
The UPC keeps pushing the boundaries of European patent litigation
In Fujifilm v. Kodak, the Court of Appeal confirmed that a single UPC action may, in principle, extend beyond the UPC territory and encompass infringement claims concerning patent rights in jurisdictions such as the UK. While the appeal ultimately…
Sharing isn’t always caring: The High Court clarifies honest concurrent use defence

This article was co-authored with Samantha Stone.
On 13 May 2026, the High Court of Australia handed down its unanimous decision in Zip Co Limited & Anor v Firstmac Limited [2026] HCA 16, settling the law on the defence…
From Tribute to Infringement: Moral (rights) lessons from the LELECHA Lu Xun Case

On World Book Day in 2024 (April 23), LELECHA, a Mainland China milk tea brand, partnered with Yilin Press to launch a “Smoky Oolong” milk tea as a tribute to the prominent Chinese writer Lu Xun. However, the marketing campaign’s…
The Fifth Circuit Takes a Global View on Copyright Termination and Renewal Rights
On January 12, 2026, in Vetter v. Resnik (No. 25-30108), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Fifth Circuit”) clarified the geographic scope of copyright recapture (termination of a prior assignment) and renewal rights under the Copyright Acts…
Beijing Internet Court Published Model AI-related Cases – Part II

In Part I of this NRF blog series, posted here, we reported on three AI-related cases published in 2025 by the Beijing Internet Court as being ‘model’ (precedent-illustrating) AI cases. In this article, we continue with the remaining three…
Beijing Internet Court Published Model AI-related Cases – Part I

With the increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in all walks of life, disputes relating to AI are also rapidly emerging. In a press conference last year, the Beijing Internet Court published eight ‘model’ (precedent-illustrating) cases involving…
Do We Have Bad Blood? Taylor Swift Successfully Opposes “SWIFT HOME” Trademark Application
When a home goods company tried to register “SWIFT HOME” for its pillows and sheets, Taylor Swift was not about to shake it off. The intense (albeit brief) trademark showdown between Swift and Cathay Home offers a front-row seat to…
Bye bye intrinsic test? Substantial similarity in Sedlik v. Von Drachenberg

On January 2, 2026, a Ninth Circuit panel affirmed the jury verdict in Sedlik v. Von Drachenberg, — F. 4th. —–, 2026 WL 17166 (9th Cir. Jan. 2, 2026), which found that defendant celebrity tattoo artist Katherine Von Drachenberg…
The Australian IP Report 2025: Staying ahead of the pack
This article was co-authored with Alyson Poole, with thanks to Jerome Messiha.
Overview
IP Australia released the Australian IP Report 2025 (IP Report), providing the latest IP trends, statistics and policy developments across Australia. In this article we explore…

