Software

As the heart of innovation, software is the focus of everyone’s attention.

It involves writing many different types of contracts: contracts concerning handover, licence, maintenance, customised development, outsourcing, distribution, information management, cloud, SaaS, etc.

In collaboration with our experts from the IT department, our lawyers ensure the legal supervision of integration projects.

The firm is often celebrated for its expertise on the subject of software related litigation.

Databases

Data bases are protected by law, in particular the sui generis rights of the producer, and the rights of the author.

The firm notably verify that the conditions for protection are being fulfilled, and draft the contract related to the exploitation thereof.

If necessary, our experts in litigation are able to take over.

Trademarks

Ulys works in collaboration with outside registrars for the registration of trademarks.

The firm is called on as an adviser for everything that concerns the use of online trademarks and disputes about the protection of trademarks on the internet.

Press and media

The press and media sector was overwhelmed by the emergence of new technologies (new content, new distribution channels, etc) and mobile internet.

Ulys has helped this sector to develop a strategy which takes into account the new legal issues, and regularly represents it in litigation related to freedom of expression, right to be left alone, distinction between public and private life, etc.

Patent

Ulys does not ensure directly registration of patents, but it works with outside registrars.

However, the firm does take part in strategic developments, particularly in the evaluation of software patentability.

Also, in the litigation department intervenes in legal proceedings connected to patent infringements.

Some recent interventions

A famous actress was involved in a scandal in her private life which has an effect on some of her public engagement. A journalist had followed the affair and was summonsed for a violation of her right to privacy and of her photographic image rights. Thanks to our expertise and experience in European litigation, Ulys has successfully declined jurisdiction in the country where the proceeding was introduced. At a further stage, by citing the most recent case law, Ulys was able to confirm that the journalist was protected by the law (freedom of information).

A company became aware that an ex-employee had opened a rival business and had clearly taken information from the company’s database. Thanks to a preliminary injunction, Ulys obtained proof of the allegations and summonsed the competitor on the basis of the sui generis right of the maker of the database.

An editor became aware that a client had decompiled a source code, allegedly to correct mistakes. Citing European law, Ulys asserted that the exception of de-compilation is limited to interoperability and not to the correction of mistakes.