IPReg clarifies use of European titles
The Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) has confirmed that titles including the term ‘European’ can be used by UK attorneys post-Brexit, but the announcement came with an important caveat.
In guidance published on its website IPReg indicated that using European in attorney titles will be permissible.
However, the regulatory body has reminded attorneys not to mislead clients about what rights of representation an attorney does or does not have to appear before European bodies.
IPReg stated that its rules of conduct require that “Publicity and promotional activity of any kind by regulated persons is permitted if it is fair, honest, accurate and is not misleading and is not otherwise in breach of these rules.
“It is therefore important that the public and clients are not misled about what rights of
representation an attorney does or does not have to appear before European bodies after 31st December 2020.
“If individual online profiles include information about European matters, they should make clear whether an attorney has a right of representation or not.
“If an attorney’s right of representation is confined to ongoing pre-existing matters and they could not offer that service to new clients or existing clients in respect of new matters, they should not hold themselves out as having representation rights before the EU (unless they are also regulated in an EU state).”
Click here to read the full guidance
IPReg has delegated responsibility for regulation of trade mark attorneys and patent attorneys in the UK.