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We are a team of more than 500 professionals, with the depth of experience which makes us genuine experts in our fields. Together, gunnercooke’s people have strength across just about every corporate discipline and sector. We provide legal, commercial and strategic advice that delivers real value to the clients we work with, which span from multinational enterprises through to unicorns and non-for-profit organisations. Our breadth of expertise covers some of the most interesting and important emerging disciplines, from ESG and charity law, to blockchain and competition.
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gunnercooke has 15 offices globally including the UK, Scotland, US, Germany and CEE, with further plans for growth in the coming years. These offices enhance the existing in-house capability of our dedicated international teams and dual-qualified experts that cover China and Hong Kong, Spain, France, Italy, Brazil and Portugal. Our team has experience working across 101 different countries, speaking 30 languages and are dual-qualified in 15 jurisdictions. Our expertise means we can offer large teams to carry out complex cross-border matters for major international clients.
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Our story
gunnercooke is the fastest growing corporate law firm in the UK, now making its mark globally. We comprise a rapidly growing number of experts spanning legal and other disciplines. Clients benefit from flexible options on fees to suit their needs, access to a wider network of senior experts throughout the relationship, and legal advice which is complemented by an understanding of the commercial aspects of running a business.
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Expertise
Rachel has extensive experience in all areas of Intellectual Property and frequently acts for clients in the High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
Rachel advises on: trade mark oppositions, and invalidation/revocation actions, passing off and trade mark infringement claims, comparative advertising claims, copyright infringement, registered and unregistered design infringement, patent infringement, confidential information and trade secrets, and domain name disputes and company name disputes.
Rachel Advises
- Private individuals
- Retailers
- Designers
- Manufacturers
- Newspaper and media companies
- Charities
- Franchisors
- Architects and planning consultants
Experience Highlights
During her career, Rachel has been involved in some high-profile Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and High Court cases and other claims including:
Passing Off
- George East Housewares Limited v Fackelmann & Co Gh and Probus creative Housewares Limited [2016] EWHC 2476 (IPEC) ⸺ advising the claimant in a passing off claim against two defendants based in Germany in relation to a cook’s conical shaped dry measuring device.
Trade Marks
- Mental Health First Aid England v Nuco Training Limited ⸺ defending an interim injunction application in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court to prohibit the launch of our client’s newly developed training courses for Mental Health First Aid instructors.
- Gap (ITM) Inc v British American Group Ltd [2016] EWHC 599 (Ch) ⸺ representing the respondent in an appeal hearing against the decision of a hearing officer at the UKIPO regarding the respondent’s trade mark application.
Registered and Unregistered Designs
- PCO Group GmbH and others v Par-Pak Europe Limited and others (part of the US based Waddington Group) ⸺ acting for the defendant in a claim regarding the alleged infringement of a European registered design relating to triangular shaped nacho trays
- Royal Academy of Dance and International Dance Supplies v Roch Valley ⸺ acting for the claimant in an unregistered design claim in respect of designs in leotards.
- Acting for a national designer and retailer of electric mobility vehicles in their unregistered design claim
Copyright
- Acting for Pinnacle Photography Limited in a copyright infringement claim in relation to the unauthorised use of 200+ photographs by a well-known sportswear retailer.
- Acting for Wing of St Mawes Limited in an Intellectual Property Enterprise Court claim against another online retailer infringing copyright subsisting in photographs on the client’s website.
- Advising a company designing and manufacturing intricate face lace designs on its copyright infringement claim against a well-known high-street fashion retailer.
- Acting for a London based shaolin martial arts company in a High Court copyright infringement claim. The founder of the company had created his own martial art system comprising a number of individual ‘forms’. The claim proceeded on the basis that the performance of the forms was copyright infringement of ‘dramatic work’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
- Defending Liking Limited on a claim brought by WaterRower (UK) Limited
Patents
- Acting for a well-known charity defending a patent infringement claim brought by Ticketogo Ltd.
- Acting for an international company specialising in innovative water treatment in its patent infringement claim against a competitor for infringement of its patent relating to a water treatment product.
Breach of Confidence
- 5 West Limited t/a Alex Thomson Racing v Guillaume Verdier Architecture Navale (‘GVAN’). Acting for GVAN (a French company at the cutting edge of racing yacht design) on a breach of contract and breach of confidence claim relating to the design of an IMOCA racing boat for the Vendée Globe boat race.
Publications
- Co-author of ‘Passing Off Pitfalls’, ‘Good Communicator?’ (assessing the status of the controversial ‘communication to the public concept) and ‘Vcast Ltd v RTI SpA’ which were all published in the Intellectual Property Magazine – a leading magazine for IP practitioners which provides detailed coverage and analysis of all the latest legal changes within the IP industry.
- Rachel also co-authored Online infringement of IPRs: overview and rights-holders’ strategy guide for Practical Law.
Career History
Previous Law firms
- Foot Anstey LLP (2014–2020)
- Michelmores LLP (2011–2014)
- Ashfords LLP (2007–2011)
Accolades
- Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law at Oxford University
- Postgraduate Diploma in UK, EU and US Copyright Law at King’s College London
Expertise
Back to top
Rachel has extensive experience in all areas of Intellectual Property and frequently acts for clients in the High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
Rachel advises on: trade mark oppositions, and invalidation/revocation actions, passing off and trade mark infringement claims, comparative advertising claims, copyright infringement, registered and unregistered design infringement, patent infringement, confidential information and trade secrets, and domain name disputes and company name disputes.
Rachel Advises
Back to top
- Private individuals
- Retailers
- Designers
- Manufacturers
- Newspaper and media companies
- Charities
- Franchisors
- Architects and planning consultants
Experience Highlights
Back to top
During her career, Rachel has been involved in some high-profile Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and High Court cases and other claims including:
Passing Off
- George East Housewares Limited v Fackelmann & Co Gh and Probus creative Housewares Limited [2016] EWHC 2476 (IPEC) ⸺ advising the claimant in a passing off claim against two defendants based in Germany in relation to a cook’s conical shaped dry measuring device.
Trade Marks
- Mental Health First Aid England v Nuco Training Limited ⸺ defending an interim injunction application in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court to prohibit the launch of our client’s newly developed training courses for Mental Health First Aid instructors.
- Gap (ITM) Inc v British American Group Ltd [2016] EWHC 599 (Ch) ⸺ representing the respondent in an appeal hearing against the decision of a hearing officer at the UKIPO regarding the respondent’s trade mark application.
Registered and Unregistered Designs
- PCO Group GmbH and others v Par-Pak Europe Limited and others (part of the US based Waddington Group) ⸺ acting for the defendant in a claim regarding the alleged infringement of a European registered design relating to triangular shaped nacho trays
- Royal Academy of Dance and International Dance Supplies v Roch Valley ⸺ acting for the claimant in an unregistered design claim in respect of designs in leotards.
- Acting for a national designer and retailer of electric mobility vehicles in their unregistered design claim
Copyright
- Acting for Pinnacle Photography Limited in a copyright infringement claim in relation to the unauthorised use of 200+ photographs by a well-known sportswear retailer.
- Acting for Wing of St Mawes Limited in an Intellectual Property Enterprise Court claim against another online retailer infringing copyright subsisting in photographs on the client’s website.
- Advising a company designing and manufacturing intricate face lace designs on its copyright infringement claim against a well-known high-street fashion retailer.
- Acting for a London based shaolin martial arts company in a High Court copyright infringement claim. The founder of the company had created his own martial art system comprising a number of individual ‘forms’. The claim proceeded on the basis that the performance of the forms was copyright infringement of ‘dramatic work’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
- Defending Liking Limited on a claim brought by WaterRower (UK) Limited
Patents
- Acting for a well-known charity defending a patent infringement claim brought by Ticketogo Ltd.
- Acting for an international company specialising in innovative water treatment in its patent infringement claim against a competitor for infringement of its patent relating to a water treatment product.
Breach of Confidence
- 5 West Limited t/a Alex Thomson Racing v Guillaume Verdier Architecture Navale (‘GVAN’). Acting for GVAN (a French company at the cutting edge of racing yacht design) on a breach of contract and breach of confidence claim relating to the design of an IMOCA racing boat for the Vendée Globe boat race.
Publications
Back to top
- Co-author of ‘Passing Off Pitfalls’, ‘Good Communicator?’ (assessing the status of the controversial ‘communication to the public concept) and ‘Vcast Ltd v RTI SpA’ which were all published in the Intellectual Property Magazine – a leading magazine for IP practitioners which provides detailed coverage and analysis of all the latest legal changes within the IP industry.
- Rachel also co-authored Online infringement of IPRs: overview and rights-holders’ strategy guide for Practical Law.
Career History
Back to top
Previous Law firms
- Foot Anstey LLP (2014–2020)
- Michelmores LLP (2011–2014)
- Ashfords LLP (2007–2011)
Accolades
- Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law at Oxford University
- Postgraduate Diploma in UK, EU and US Copyright Law at King’s College London
Testimonials
‘Rachel has always made herself available on request and given prompt, valuable and sound advice. It is always delivered in an understandable form, reducing the recipient's need to decipher the meaning through the legal jargon.’
‘Having advised from simple comment, through some complicated IP issues and right up to high court level, I have always felt comfortable that the advice and action offered is the most appropriate for the situation. Rachel is the right person to have at your side.’
Nick Squires
Managing Director of George East Housewares Limited‘Another name to note for IP litigation’
Legal 500
‘Rising Star’
Legal 500