HSM IP LTD
Key Updates to IP Legislation in the Bahamas
On 25 February 2025 the Bahamas Intellectual Property Office (BahaIPO) officially announced significant updates to its IP laws, including changes to the legislation governing copyrights, patents, and trade marks. The following Laws have been introduced: The Trade Marks Act 2024: Read more +
WTR 1000 Recognises HSM IP and Huw Moses in 2025 Guide
World Trade Mark Review (WTR) has recognised HSM IP and Huw Moses in their latest guide: WTR 1000 2025 (Pan-Caribbean). This is the eighth year in a row that HSM IP has been recommended by WTR 1000. HSM IP is Read more +
Cayman Trade Mark Spotlight: Cayman National Corporation Ltd.
HSM IP is a specialist intellectual property law practice based in the Cayman Islands and protects creative works (trade marks, patents, copyright, designs and domain names) throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Kate Cleary, an Intellectual Property Manager at HSM Read more +
HSM IP Reception to Celebrate IPCA’s 10th Anniversary
This year, 2024, marked the 10th Anniversary of the Intellectual Property Caribbean Association (IPCA) which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands. HSM IP, a Founding Member, hosted a Reception in their Main Boardroom, on the evening of Friday, 8th November, Read more +
Changes to the payment of Annual Fees in the Cayman Islands
The General Registry of the Cayman Islands has issued Practice Note No. 01/2016 which states that starting 1 August 2016 patent and trade mark annual fee payments will no longer be accepted in advance of 1 January in the year in which they fall due.
It is therefore no longer possible to pay annual fees up to the year of renewal of a trade mark, or the year of expiry of a patent, in advance. Instead, annual fees due in 2017 must be paid on or after 1 January 2017. Annual fees due in 2018 must be paid on or after 1 January 2018, etc.
Where annual fees remain unpaid on 31 March of each year, a penalty fee will continue to accrue. Furthermore, the Registry will not accept payment of the outstanding annual fee unless the applicable penalty is paid simultaneously and together with any outstanding fees (including outstanding penalty fees) due in respect of prior years.
What steps should trade mark and patent owners take?
Trade mark and patent owners should review their Cayman Islands portfolios to check whether annual fee payments are paid up to date, and if not, ensure that any outstanding years are paid along with the next due annual fee payment on 1 January 2017.