Intellectual Property Disputes
RDJ has a highly regarded national IP practice with significant expertise in the area of technology transfer and collaborative research arrangements between universities and the private sector.
Meet the team
The firm counts amongst its clients in this area several major multi-nationals, universities and indigenous Irish businesses. We regularly advise on the infringement of intellectual property including trademark infringement, passing off, copyright infringement and patent infringement.
Our Intellectual Property Disputes team has significant growth on the contentious side of the practice. We advise clients in respect of copyright infringement, trademark infringement and passing-off actions, as well as patent infringement. We have successfully defended a number of corporate clients in the media, engineering and education sectors in relation to allegations of software copyright infringement and resolved a number of trademark infringement and passing off claims made by clients. We also advise on patent infringement and have represented several in respect of patent infringement proceedings and disputes and potential invalidity/revocation proceedings.
Representative experience includes advising:
- an Irish University in an intellectual property dispute involving a number of co-inventors of intellectual property and two university spin outs. The claim related to a dispute with regard to the rights and entitlements of the University under its Intellectual Property Policy with regard to its IP. The dispute centred on commercialisation of the IP and the role of the University in same;
- Wissam Al Mana, a high profile Qatari business man in respect of High Court proceedings against Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (formerly Facebook Ireland Limited). The proceedings concerned a series of fake cryptocurrency advertisements on the social media platform featuring his image and purported endorsement. Mr Al Mana sought orders against Facebook Ireland and claimed damages for, amongst others, passing off and unlawful appropriation of his personality. RDJ assisted Mr Al Mana in achieving a significant confidential settlement in late 2023;
- University of Limerick in Commercial Court patent revocation proceedings regarding one of its patents – Peregrine Technologies Limited v University of Limerick. An agreement was ultimately reached between the parties;
- a UK television broadcaster, a UK producer of television and radio programmes and its insurers in High Court proceedings in relation to an alleged copyright infringement and passing off claim following the production and broadcast of a television series on a British free-to-air television channel. The proceedings were ultimately settled on a favourable basis for the clients;
- a multinational discount retailer in the defence of High Court proceedings involving alleged quasi-intellectual property, breach of contract and passing off claims;
- media and other clients on contentious copyright infringement issues in particular on claims by domestic and international claimants in relation to the publication by clients of images publicly available on the Internet.
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