HSM IP LTD
Cayman Trade Mark Spotlight: The Security Centre
Kate Cleary, an Intellectual Property Manager at HSM IP, reached out to The Security Centre to get its feedback on registering their trade mark in the Cayman Islands. Kate spoke with Natasha Whitelocke (Director – Admin, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs) Read more +
WIPR Leaders Directory 2025 Recognises HSM IP Team
World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) launched a new Caribbean category in their 2025 Leaders Directory and HSM IP is pleased to have three members of their team recognised: Managing Partner, Huw Moses; Senior IP Manager, Mrinali Menon and IP Manager, Read more +
HSM IP Named Caribbean Firm of the Year 2025 by Managing IP
HSM IP has been named Caribbean Firm of the Year by the Managing IP Awards 2025 Americas. Mrinali Menon (HSM IP Senior Manager) accepted our award at their Awards Ceremony on 24 April 2025. More than 200 guests attended the Read more +
HSM IP Attending INTA 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego, California
Our HSM IP team is gearing up to attend the 2025 International Trade Mark Association’s (INTA) Annual General Meeting in California at the San Diego Convention Center from 17 to 21 May 2025. Meet Huw St.J. Moses OBE (Managing Partner), Read more +
Caribbean Trade Marks: The Rising Costs and Importance of IP in Q2 2023
In the second quarter of 2023, it is interesting to note for brand owners that official fees at Intellectual Property (IP) Offices across the Caribbean, Central and South America are on the rise. HSM IP’s Kate Cleary (Intellectual Property Manager) and Shirly Ramirez (IP Administrative Assistant) cover the latest trends in Caribbean Trade Marks and Intellectual Property.
As brand owners increasingly seek to protect their intellectual property in these jurisdictions, a number of IP Offices across the region are taking this opportunity (no doubt also influenced by the current general rise in living costs as well as the ongoing de-escalation of COVID measures and restrictions) to review and increase official fees. The last decade has seen a general trend of fee increases across the region, with increases ranging from as little as 3% up to 20%.
Brand owners would be wise to take note of this ongoing trend and to ensure that they do not delay what may be traditionally considered “non-urgent” updates to their IP portfolios. For example, while it is not mandatory in many jurisdictions for updates to the registered name or address of a trade mark proprietor to be recorded, brand owners should consider the trend for increases in official fees when evaluating whether it is prudent to delay such recordal projects. A 5% increase in official fees, such as that we have recently seen in Bermuda, can translate to a substantial outlay in fees payable, across a portfolio of just a couple of dozen trade marks.
The ongoing expansion in scope of work IP Offices are handling and the time staff are spending on IP matters has its own impact on the steady rise in official fees. The 5% increase in official fees in Bermuda took effect from 1 April 2023 and is reported to be valid until 2025. Savvy brand owners may seek to take advantage of this hiatus in fee increases to ensure their portfolios are in order and up-to-date, to avoid the impact of any subsequent official fee hikes.
While the most recent fee increase put in place was in Bermuda, fees or local taxes have also increased in the last 12 months in Dominican Republic, Suriname and Aruba, and further increases cannot be ruled out over the coming year. Indeed, anticipated implementation in 2023 of new Trade Marks Rules in Jamaica will be accompanied by a hike in official fees at the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office of roughly 75%.
HSM IP is equipped to assist brand owners with updates to proprietor details / changes in title against their trade marks throughout the Caribbean and in an effort to encourage timely attendance to such matters we offer large portfolios a discounted fee for such recordal projects.