FFW helps Tottenham Hotspur fend off counterfeit traders
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has scored a winning role for Carling Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur, advising on the club's crackdown on counterfeit goods being sold over the internet.
So far the firm has managed to put a stop to more than 1,000 auctions on eBay. Counterfeit products removed from the site include replica football kits, watches, tankards and even gnomes emblazoned with the football club's logo.
FFW senior solicitor Lewis Cohen brought the club with him as a client when he joined the firm in October last year from McGrigors. FFW has since been instructed to work with the football club on all its anti-counterfeit initiatives.
Cohen said: "Tottenham Hotspur takes the protection of its trademarks, designs and copyright material very seriously. As part of its brand protection, the club has been working closely with the team at FFW to take proactive steps to police and enforce its rights against the sellers of counterfeit products."
The initiative to target counterfeiters on eBay has been a success, but the club is now stepping up the campaign and will launch legal action against repeat offenders. Demand for Tottenham Hotspur merchandise is set to soar since the club's win against Chelsea in the Carling Cup final last week.
The rise of e-commerce, and in particular internet auction sites such as eBay, means that counterfeiters have greater access to consumers than ever before. The increase in activity has led FFW to launch anti-piracy service CounterACT.
Tottenham Hotspur has a £34m shirt sponsorship and partnership deal with international gaming and entertainment group Mansion. Olswang and SJ Berwin advised on the deal, which was signed in 2006.
