Protect Your Clients’ Brands - Leverage the Power of the Company Names Tribunal

Introduction

Are your clients vulnerable to opportunistic company name registrations (modern-day name hijacking that mirrors the rise of cyber-squatting in the 1990s)?

The UK Company Names Tribunal (‘CNT’), established under Section 69 of the Companies Act 2006, provides legal practitioners with a cost-effective and efficient alternative to court litigation when challenging misleading or abusive company name registrations.

Recent reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 have further strengthened the CNT’s powers by removing key statutory defences previously available to respondents, making this mechanism more potent than ever.

In today’s legal landscape, understanding CNT proceedings is no longer optional, it is essential. As a solicitor, barrister, or in-house counsel, knowing when and how to deploy this tribunal process can be crucial in protecting your clients’ goodwill, trademarks, and brand equity.

This webinar will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to:

• Identify when CNT action is preferable to court proceedings
• Navigate procedural requirements with confidence
• Advise clients on bringing or defending a claim
• Capitalise on recent legislative changes

Register now to stay ahead of the curve and ensure you are fully prepared to advise on, and succeed in, Company Names Tribunal actions.

What You Will Learn

The webinar will cover the following:

• Strategic decision-making - when to choose CNT proceedings over traditional court action for passing off or trade mark infringement
• Legislative framework - understanding Section 69 CA 2006 grounds for objection - identical names with goodwill and sufficiently similar names likely to mislead
• Recent legislative changes - impact of the recent Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 removing key defences in section 69(4)(b) of the Companies Act 2006
• Procedural mastery - complete guidance on the procedure and how to initiate proceedings, and essential requirements for handling the cases all the way to a decision, including how to file arguments and evidence
• Evidence strategy - how to properly adduce evidence in witness statements, affidavits or statutory declarations to support your case
• Cost management - the costs for taking actions and for managing various steps throughout the tribunal process
• Defensive strategies - the five available defences including good faith registration, prior use, and off-the-shelf company formations
• Appeal routes - direct appeals to the High Court in England & Wales and to the Courts in Scotland
• Practical considerations - pre-action compliance requirements, cease and desist strategies, and avoiding unfavourable costs orders
• Case study analysis - a review of relevant case law and decisions demonstrating name similarity assessments and tribunal reasoning
• Tribunal procedures - the role of adjudicators and their powers to order name changes and cost awards
• Jurisdictional coverage - how the tribunal system applies to companies registered in England, Wales and Scotland, including specific procedural considerations for each jurisdiction

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Wednesday 11th February 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,900+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.