The Government has launched a consultation on the technical details of its proposal to create an exemption from empty property rates for the owners of newly-built commercial properties in England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Autumn Statement in December 2012 that, subject to consultation, all newly built commercial properties completed between 1… Learn more

Sealed Air Ltd v Sharp Interpack Ltd, Patents County Court The Patents County Court has ruled that Sealed Air’s Community and UK registered designs had only a narrow scope of protection as it consisted of conventional elements and the design was not a radical departure from that. Although Sharp Interpack’s fruit punnets had many similarities… Learn more

In Marks and Spencer plc v BNP Paribas Securities Services Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd and another [2013] EWHC 1279 (Ch), the High Court has considered whether a tenant should receive a refund for the rent paid after the lease break date. The tenant had a lease with a break clause that allowed the lease to… Learn more