Overview
As a partner, I have built an intellectual property practice protecting ideas and innovation for clients across a range of sectors from retail and consumer to hotels and leisure; financial services institutions and technology companies to manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods and healthcare companies; and education and training to media and sport.
My work has given me the chance to pursue many pieces of high profile IP litigation through the UK courts and then on to the Court of Justice of the European Union. My court highlights include Interflora -v- Marks & Spencer – a trade mark infringement case relating to the use of Interflora as an AdWord in the Google advertising programme – for which my team won Managing IP’s ‘UK Trade Mark Litigation Team of the Year’ and The Lawyer’s ‘IP team of the Year’; British Horseracing Board -v- William Hill – the first Database Rights case to be heard before the CJEU; Specsavers -v- Asda Stores – a parody advertising case relating to the use of the advertising strapline “Be a real spec saver at Asda” referred to the CJEU on the question of genuine use of a trade mark; and L’Oreal -v- Bellure – a comparative advertising case relating to smell-a-like perfumes referred to the CJEU on the question of what amounts to taking unfair advantage of a trade mark.
I am listed by all the major directories as an expert in my field with my international experience extending beyond trade marks, brands and advertising into patents, design rights, database rights, copyright and breach of confidence cases. I have a strong technology and software disputes practice as well as advising on parallel imports.
When I’m not helping clients, I can be found in the hills either climbing up them or skiing down them.
Recent experience
Successfully defending Urban Evolution against an allegation of trade mark infringement and passing off in an action brought by a rival property company
Advising a global jeweller on greenwashing and associated ESG issues on the launch of its latest collection to ensure its advertising was compliant
Advising on a breach of confidence case which involved a cyberattack with the extraction and reutilisation of proprietary data to offer a competing service
Successfully defending Zyxel Communications UK Ltd to stop it being forced to take a global FRAND licence for DSL technology covered by standard essential patents owned by TQ Delta
Providing product clearance advice for a global healthcare company which included all aspects of copyright and trade mark clearance as well as regulatory advice and UK CA conformity support
