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 +
IP Reform on the Horizon for Bermuda
Update: The Trade Marks Act 2023 and Trade Marks and Service Marks Regulations Amendment and Validation Act 2023 received royal assent on 17 October 2023.
As Intellectual Property (IP) specialists in the Caribbean, HSM IP is thrilled to hear that the Bermuda Government is making efforts to update its intellectual property laws.
Vance Campbell (Minister for Bermuda Tourism and the Cabinet Office) recently shared in December 2022 that this huge undertaking would involve collaboration among the Ministry for Tourism and the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Department of Registry General and the Ministry of Economy and Labour through the Economic Development Department. A special IP Taskforce has already been assigned.
Their objective is to make legislation governing trade marks, patents, registered designs and copyrights more fully aligned with UK and global standards and best practices allowing Bermuda to better compete for business.
Reports indicate that they are tackling trade marks first. Bermuda’s trade mark laws were originally enacted nearly 50 years ago.
One of the areas this new legislation plans to address is for Bermuda’s trade mark registration and renewal periods to be amended to cover 10-year terms. Since current registration periods are only seven years, this will be a welcome change.
As matters stand today in Bermuda, it typically takes 12 to 18 months for the Registry to process a local application for registration.
The Bermuda Government intends to submit to the UK formal requests for extension of several treaties governing the protection of IP rights. Their project team is coordinating with the UK Intellectual Property Office and will be submitting copies of the draft legislation to the UK IPO for review and comment.
With regard to Bermuda’s patent legislation, work has already begun to modernise the law and it will follow a similar course to that of the trade marks legislation.
Bermuda’s copyright laws are the most recently enacted, with the Copyrights and Designs Act 2004, but updates are still needed to enhance the regime, including the ability to voluntarily register copyright ownership.
HSM IP is monitoring this news and looks forward to updating our materials when they happen.
Click here to read HSM IP’s Bermuda trade mark guide.