Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys
TRADE MARK CAFE
ABOUT US
Trade Mark Cafe is a small firm of intellectual property professionals specialising in the protection of trade marks, design and copyright on a global basis.
We work with our trusted network of associates around the world to offer our clients IP protection and management services with a straightforward, commercial and collaborative approach.
Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys, Laurel McBray and Jo Lucas Munce, have together almost 40 years’ experience in the field and, with Trade Mark Administrator, Jennifer McCabe, deliver all aspects of trade mark and design prosecution and enforcement, representing clients directly before the UK Intellectual Property Office.
SERVICES
Trade Marks
Trade marks are at the core of our practice. Trade Mark Cafe offers assistance to its clients at all stages of their brand protection journeys, right from the creation of a trade mark to its registration and the enforcement of rights in that trade mark against third parties. We provide strategic advice according to the nature and needs of businesses ranging from sole traders and start-ups to multinational corporations.
Trade Mark Clearance
We can conduct clearance searches to check whether a proposed trade mark is available for use and registration in a chosen territory. We offer different levels of searching depending on client budget and requirement, all offering a useful opinion (and no fence-sitting).
Trade Mark Registration
We advise on the appropriate classes and descriptions of goods and/or services, and file applications with the UK Intellectual Property Office as well the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). Through our network of trusted local attorneys in countries around the world, we are also able to handle EU and other foreign applications.
Portfolio Management
We offer portfolio management and rationalisation advice to all our clients, including handling the renewal, licensing and assignment of registrations worldwide. We work with our clients to ensure that their trade mark protection is maintained and enhanced (or refined) as necessary, in line with changes and growth in their businesses.
Trade Mark Enforcement
We can advise our clients on infringement risks and on enforcing registered and unregistered trade mark rights against potential infringers. We can also arrange to watch for potentially conflicting third party marks and advise on the appropriate strategy, which may include opposing registration.
Designs and Copyright
We are experienced in offering advice regarding the registration of designs and the enforcement of both copyright and design rights (registered and unregistered) in the UK.
Our network of associates provides assistance to those clients seeking protection for their copyright works and designs in the EU and overseas.
MEET THE TEAM
Laurel McBray
Laurel works mainly with small to medium-sized organisations in different business sectors, including health and beauty, pet foods and pet care, and fashion, helping them achieve cost-effective trade mark protection in the UK, the EU, and internationally.
Laurel joined the profession in 1996, having newly arrived in the UK (via Canada) after a long residency in Bermuda, and qualified in 2002. She has worked with large UK trade mark and patent firms, and was a Partner in the trade marks group of her last firm before joining Trade Mark Cafe in 2009.
Laurel advises clients in relation to UK, European and worldwide branding programmes, carries out the associated trade mark clearance and manages the filing programmes and resulting portfolios. Laurel has considerable experience in Registry matters in the UK and EU, and has had particular success in contentious matters, including trade mark oppositions, cancellations and invalidity actions, before the UK and EU Intellectual Property Offices. She has also instructed Counsel in connection with appeals to the General Court and CJEU.
Laurel has a reputation for creative and practical thinking and takes a very pragmatic approach to adversarial matters, helping to achieve favourable settlements for her clients in oppositions and other disputes.
Laurel can be contacted at laurel@trademarkcafe.com
+44 (0) 7957 658 345
Jo Lucas Munce
Jo’s practice encompasses all aspects of trade mark prosecution including the handling of clearance searches, preparing filing strategies, filing applications, providing portfolio management and dealing with oppositions and cancellation actions. She also has significant experience in dealing with the enforcement of trade mark registrations against third parties and negotiating coexistence agreements.
Jo has worked with clients across all industries, from insurance to food and drink. She strives to provide straightforward, commercial advice to all clients, regardless of budget or background and is proud to have worked with several start ups to support their growth plans and aid them in their transition to established brands covering multiple jurisdictions.
Jo entered the profession in 2004 and qualified in 2008. Prior to joining Trade Mark Cafe in 2018, Jo worked for a leading firm of patent and trade mark attorneys based in London.
Jo can be contacted at jo@trademarkcafe.com
+44 (0) 7787 148 743
Jennifer McCabe
Jennifer joined Trade Mark Cafe in 2009 after a successful career as a senior civil servant in the local government sector and several years in the residential construction and property management industry in Canada.
Jennifer passed the CITMA Trade Mark Administrators’ Course in 2013 and is a CITMA Paralegal.
Jennifer has responsibility for
general trade mark formalities administration, including filing and monitoring progress of trade mark and design applications, reporting registration, updating our records database and generating portfolio reports. Jennifer manages trade mark renewals and updating client details recorded with UKIPO and WIPO.
Jennifer can be contacted at jennifer@trademarkcafe.com
+44 (0)7432 718 499