Eleanor Merrett

Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney @CMS UK

I lead the CMS Intellectual Property offering in the North of England, working primarily out of the Sheffield office. I am a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and Litigator, so specialise in brand protection and enforcement work.As part of the IP Group at CMS (formerly Olswang), I advise on a broad spectrum of trade mark matters and litigation. My experience includes- advising clients on trade mark selection and prosecution, including conducting and advising on clearance searches- portfolio management and conducting audits of trade mark portfolios- advising clients in relation to watch notices- devising and implementing filing strategies- dealing with official objections- filing and prosecuting oppositions, invalidities and revocations before the UKIPO and EUIPO- advising clients in infringement and passing off claims before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the High Court.I work for clients in a variety of sectors, with a particular focus on media, advertising, financial services and automotive. My role involves stakeholder engagement at all levels and management of IP budgets, to ensure clients are getting the return on investment they need to demonstrate the value of their IP and enforcement activities.CMS\'s IP group supports clients throughout the life of their brands, from the initial selection of a trade mark and the filing of applications right through to the enforcement of a client’s rights against third parties. I therefore work closely with solicitors in the team in relation to infringement and passing off litigation.