Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK

Firm overview:

American firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius boasts a UK and European trademark practice working with some of the best-known brands across multiple industries. Morgan Lewis’ client roster includes X (formerly Twitter), Netflix and VF Corporation, owner of popular apparel names Timberland, Vans and The North Face. From its London office, the team assists with trademark protection in more than 129 jurisdictions, using its global network and connections to local counsel to collaborate on significantly-sized portfolios and minimise IP risks. A particular strength is in prosecution and enforcement, with key clients reporting a long-standing relationship with the team. One high-profile client says “they have a deep understanding of my trademark portfolio, with significant institutional knowledge [of the company].” Morgan Lewis handles registry disputes before the UK and EU Intellectual Property Offices with a record of success for key clients.

Team overview:

Morgan Lewis has 23 offices and more than 200 lawyers worldwide, with seven lawyers handling its UK and EU IP matters. London partner Nicholas Bolter is the main individual for the firm’s trademark matters. One foreign counsel describes Bolter as “practical, crazy responsive and client centric. There are many good firms in the UK but no lawyers have risen to the level of Nick and his team.” Experienced in prosecution, portfolio management and registry disputes, Bolter has developed long-standing relationships with the firm’s high-profile clients.

Key matters:

Morgan Lewis partners Nicholas Bolter and Martin Henshall represent Netflix, the global streaming service worth 200 billion dollars, on assistance with clearance for Netflix’s new TV shows and movies, as well as prosecution and enforcement. In a recent UK and EU matter, Netflix opposed the trademark ‘Squid Game’ registered by Caffe & Restaurant Management. In 2017 Netflix released Squid Game, a critically acclaimed Korean television series that became the streaming service’s number one most-watched series in 94 countries. The matter was concluded in favour of Morgan Lewis’s client, finding that Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ trademark has a reputation in the EU.

Clients:

Abercrombie & Fitch, LoopMe, Netflix, TGI Fridays, X (formerly Twitter), Wayfair