In its press release of 16 May, the Law Society called for the abolition of the threats provisions which apply to registered trademarks and designs. So what are these 'threats' provisions that the Law Society objects to?

Threats provisions are statutory provisions which allow those who receive cease-and-desist letters regarding infringement of a registered trademark or a design to issue proceedings complaining about the threat against them.

Threats actions can also be brought by the recipients of patent cease-and-desist letters, although the Law Society does not discuss patents at any length in its press release (possibly because of the recent softening of the threats provisions regarding patents).