Search

Contact Us
Language
English

Search

Exceptional legal talent

Global IP expertise for the fashion and retail sectors

In the fast-changing and complex worlds of fashion and retail, the opportunities and challenges are many. Brand is everything. Wherever you are in the world and whatever the size of your business, we’ll use our exceptional legal talent and sector expertise to protect and enforce your IP rights and help you enter new markets.

International expertise

With a well-connected global team, we’ll work with you to secure crucial intellectual property rights and advise on IP strategies that take account of the international markets you and your customers operate in.
As a multinational firm we’re used to managing large international portfolios of rights. We work with local counsel in trade mark opposition proceedings globally. We’ll help you enter new markets working to overcome issues with potential rights holders and infringers.

Blurred Lines: Physical and Digital Fashion

A Marks & Clerk podcast series in partnership with Spatial8

Listen to the episodes

Specialists

for the result you need

Photo: Samantha Collins

Samantha Collins

Partner Registered and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney (UK)
Samantha is a Partner and Chartered and Registered Trade Mark Attorney (UK) in our Oxford office. Samantha is also head of our national fashion and retail team, and works with both large established retailers and growing, dynamic fashion brands to develop their trade mark protection and enforcement strategies.
Photo: Katherine Lai

Katherine Lai

Partner Solicitor (Hong Kong)
Katherine possesses in-depth experience in global brand strategy and trade mark portfolio management, including conducting trade mark audits, clearance searches, prosecution and enforcement of trade mark rights. Experience also in Hong Kong & China anti-counterfeiting campaigns, Customs Office actions, domain-name disputes, copyright and/or trade mark infringement actions, passing off actions in Hong Kong or anti-unfair competition claims before the China courts.

Catherine Lovrics

Partner, Head of Trademarks and Copyright (Canada) Canadian Trademark Agent, Barrister and Solicitor
Catherine (Cat) Lovrics is a Partner at Marks & Clerk Canada, where she is Head of the firm's Trademark and Copyright Groups
Photo: Kirsten Gilbert

Kirsten Gilbert

Partner and Head of Brand Exploitation, Protection and TM Litigation UK Solicitor (UK)
Kirsten is a Partner and Head of Brand Exploitation, Protection and TM Litigation UK at Marks & Clerk Law. Kirsten advises in a broad range of sectors including food & drink, financial services, pharmaceuticals, fashion and creative industries.

Legal and technical experts

Our team are experts in tackling counterfeiters and we have especially strong expertise in new technologies such as wearables, smart fabrics, technical footwear and 3D printing.

We’ll help you stay ahead of the technological curve. And develop global IP strategies that are aligned with your business objectives and ensure your brands (and the investment and goodwill inherent in them), are protected.

Integrated team

Our team includes patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, commercial lawyers and IP litigators. This combined expertise and experience means that we can provide every type of intellectual property service you need. We’ll design our service around you, finding exactly the right people to meet your needs. We’re used to working collaboratively across different disciplines to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.

Clients

At Marks & Clerk we work for some of the world’s most successful fashion, retail and consumer goods companies. From renowned and historical heritage brands to dynamic, digital-first brands geared towards young, international markets.

Latest Insights

Article
- Wednesday, 3 July 2024

Local Sales Insufficient to Support Class 35 Registration in China

The Beijing IP Court recently upheld a CNIPA decision to cancel a class 35 trade mark registration despite proof of use submitted by the registrant. This case highlights the difficulty in defending a class 35 trade mark registration, often obtained for defensive purposes, against a non-use challenge in China.
Read more
Article
- Friday, 31 May 2024

Case Study: Counterfeiter of SIEMENS Ordered to Pay 100 Million Yuan in Damages

In a lawsuit filed by Siemens AG against Ningbo Qishuai Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd. and four others for trademark infringement and unfair competition involving the trademark "西门子" (Siemens in Chinese), the Supreme People's Court found the defendants guilty on both counts. The defendants refused to submit any financial data, but the Court imposed 100 million yuan (Approx. USD 13.8 million) in damages.
Read more
Image: Mother and Baby
Article
- Thursday, 7 March 2024

A Reminder to Retailers of the Importance of Clear Terms & Conditions

Michael Tappin KC, sitting as Deputy Judge, has issued an interim judgment in the ongoing IPEC proceedings between Seraphine Limited and Mamarella GmbH. The judgment highlights some of the difficulties one can face when trying to rely on and enforce terms and conditions against a previous partner where terms are not clear, do not reflect the practical ways in which the parties trade with each other, or where there is lack of evidence of terms being in effect between the parties. This serves as a reminder to retailers to have your house in order and to conduct regular reviews of your terms to ensure their relevance, accuracy and applicability.
Read more

Stay informed

IP insights direct to your inbox

Subscribe