Our autumn / winter 2023 round up of news includes the usual cocktail of topics from Defra’s consultation on additional support for the farming sector; legislation to deter rural thieves; and an update on SFI agreements.

Footballer Cole Palmer faces a trademark clash with Bordeaux wine brand Château Palmer. Discover the IP issues at play in this unusual dispute.

We advised a leading engineering research and development business in connection with proceedings in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court against a professional sports team which had sought to exploit the client’s patented technology without licence terms.

We often see ‘without prejudice’ ("WP") on communications between parties in dispute. The suggestion seems to be that adding that banner to a letter might offer some magical protection down the line if the dispute is not resolved. It doesn’t, but a fuller explanation of the principle of without prejudice might be useful.

The phrase “estoppel by convention” is not a phrase one hears very often in everyday conversation. Its legal implications can however make a big difference to the outcome of a claim, where relevant, when a dispute arises.

On 28 February 2013, amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Modification and Discharge of Planning Obligations) Regulations 1992 (‘Regulations’) come into effect.

International supply chain contracts have the added risk of exchange rate fluctuations.

Tenancies created under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 (‘AHA’) allow agricultural holdings to be let by the land owner to a tenant.

No organisation has escaped unscathed by COVID-19. However, one sector that has been particularly affected is education.

The process of reforming agricultural tenancy legislation under the Agriculture Act 2020 has now started with the introduction of the Agricultural Holdings (Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2021, which came into force on 17 March 2021.