Ciara Cullen

Partner, RPC

Ciara is a Partner in RPC’s IP & Technology team, co-heads the firm's Food & Drink Group and leads the Retail & Consumer Pillar. Having originally qualified in the Republic of Ireland, Ciara has practiced in the UK since 2013 and has extensive experience in both jurisdictions. Ciara is an IP and technology litigation specialist, acting for a broad range of consumer and luxury brands and clients in the retail, technology, and media sectors. Ciara’s practice also has a significant international element and sees her advising clients on multi-jurisdictional disputes across the full range of IP rights including copyright, trade marks/passing off, patents, design rights, breach of confidence and licence disputes.

Ciara is passionate about IP and regularly speaks on cases and related issues at client and external events. Ciara has been interviewed by Sky News on copyright exemptions and regularly lectures at the IP Law Summer School at Cambridge University. She was co-editor of the TerraLex Copyright Cross-Border Guide for several years and has been recognised as a "Star Lawyer” in the independent Acritas Survey for every year since 2019. Ciara is also recognised as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK 2022 (for Retail and Consumer and Intellectual Property: Trade Marks, Copyright and Design) and as an IP Star by Managing Intellectual Property: IPSTARS 2019-2022.

Ciara is recommended in the leading directories as "technically excellent and a fantastic lawyer", "gives consistently good advice, both legally and commercially" and "stands out for being a true business partner and an expert in her field."

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Practice notes

This Practice Note describes primary and secondary infringement of UK copyright. It covers the principles of infringement of copying the original source and similarity. Acts of primary copyright infringement are covered including the restricted acts of copying or reproduction (including computer programs), issuing or distributing, renting and lending, performing, playing or showing, communication to the public and adapting. Under the copying of the whole or a substantial part of the work, substantiality is covered.

Practice notes

This Practice Note examines authorship and ownership of copyright works. It covers determining authorship and explains joint and unknown authorship. Ownership of copyright is examined in relation to statutory presumptions as to ownership, employee and commissioned works, partnerships and joint owners.

Practice notes

This Practice Note deals with permitted acts and defences relating to copyright works. It covers copyright exceptions including personal copying for private use (now quashed); fair dealing for the purpose of research and private study, criticism and review, quotation, news reporting and caricature, parody or pastiche; temporary copies and incidental inclusion; education and libraries including e-books and e-lending; visual impairment; public administration, computer programs, and designs. So-called contract override provisions are examined in relation to copyright exceptions. The defences of: public interest, consent, copyright not subsisting, delay, anonymous works and buildings are also covered.

Practice notes

This Practice Note identifies types of work protected by copyright. Copyright works are categorised in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. These categories of works are: original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic, film, sound recordings and broadcasts and typographical arrangements. This Practice Note examines examples of categories of works and considers a practical approach to categorisation under UK law in the light of EU cases assimilated into UK law that suggest categorisation is not required.