Intellectual Property

We know your rights



Our highly experienced Intellectual Property team bring a commercial mindset and a world-leading service that meets your needs

Summary

Ideas are your greatest asset. But protecting ideas can be daunting. Our Intellectual Property lawyers are highly experienced in defending and maximising their commercial potential. You’ll be working with a senior partner that has over 10,000 hours of practice, guaranteeing you the highest possible quality of service.

Our lawyers understand the commercial world, and how important IP is to you. Our firm has been designed to instil a commercial mindset among our partners, making us trusted legal advisors who are invested in your success.

Whether it’s filing strategy, franchising or portfolio management, we enable clients to develop, expand, exploit and enforce their intellectual property rights in the UK and around the world. We provide pragmatic, strategic and tailored advice to suit the needs and objectives of your business, and our flexible fee structures mean you can enjoy absolute clarity as you plan ahead.

Our lawyers have worked with commercial entities, as part of a team, and even on a one-on-one basis to advise and defend copyright. What underpins our approach is a willingness to look after your interests by taking the initiative. Every project is managed with equal care and focus, and we take the time to understand you and your needs as we build a better strategy to move forward. Our world-leading NPS score of +87 underlines our commitment to giving you a better service.

Notable cases

  • Acting for the purchasers of a well known restaurant chain in a pre-pack administration, ensuring the survival of 12 restaurants.
  • Managing the global trade mark portfolios for several outdoor fashion brands which share a common ownership. Providing related strategic support on licensing and assignments.
  • Supporting a major growth business which is supported by VC funding and significantly expanding its US presence. We support with the global trade mark portfolio, early stage disputes relating to designs, passing off and trade marks, oppositions and invalidity actions.
  • Acting for a leading UK developer of mobile games, including managing their global trade mark portfolio and assisting with global oppositions and related US litigation regarding the name of one of their games.
  • Securing an unless order, and judgment following breach of the unless order, for a Mauritian company in relation to a dispute for breach of an earlier settlement agreement concerning, amongst other things, disparaging comments made by a competitor.
  • Managing the trade mark portfolio for a computer game publisher and the various studios that it supports around the world.
  • Defending Liking Limited on a claim brought by WaterRower (UK) Limited.
  • Advising the joint liquidators of a cloud-based company which processed sensitive medical patient data.
  • Helping technology clients grow their business by getting the right commercial contracts in place with their major national and international customer base (everyone from the UK government to a Kazakhstan hospital).
  • Protecting a business whose intellectual property and confidential information were misused by a former employee.
  • Future proofing new ecommerce business models.
  • Responding to claims of trade mark infringement and malicious falsehood related to Google advertising.
  • Breach of confidence disputes relating to everything from setting up a rival company post-employment to copying material disclosed in pitch meetings such as clothing designs and a TV format.
  • Assisting with major corporate transactions to ensure businesses there are no secrets hidden under the IP bonnet.
  • Major patent disputes concerning (i) a well-known pharmaceutical and (ii) a legendary gaming console.
  • Using design rights to prevent sales of a distinctive dress by a major online retailer.
  • Managed Andcrafted Limited’s (t/a Plank Hardware IP) portfolio and acted in various oppositions and invalidity actions in both the UK and EU; assisted with IP disputes against online infringers, including successful website takedowns — an important example of using the EUIPO ‘torpedo’, an important (but often overlooked) strategy, which gave our client significant leverage in the commercial negotiations.
  • Acted for Space Ape Games in providing ongoing IP strategy and advice, including filing new marks and managing the global trade mark portfolio, which covers North America, Europe, Australia and China; assisted with a US dispute regarding their game, Beatstar, and a rival music publishing company, BeatStars Inc, with a related invalidity action at UKIPO.
  • Managed Plum’s global trade mark portfolio which included multiple territories across the EU, Australia and the Americas.
  • Acted on a trade mark dispute for Diotima&Co Limited involving a former licensee who created significant brand damage due to making misleading statements regarding the nature of an artificial gemstone which had similar properties to a diamond.
  • Acted for the defendants/counterclaimants, Safe-T-System Ltd in a case included allegations of trade mark infringement, trade mark entitlement, passing off and breach of a distribution agreement, involved a counterclaim for copyright infringement and malicious falsehood.
  • Managed Barking Bags’ IP portfolio and successfully acted in a claim for UK unregistered design right infringement in relation to dog bags.
  • Provided ongoing IP strategy and advice for Koyo on its trade mark portfolio which includes multiple territories including the UK.

Our Intellectual Property work includes

  • IP filing strategy: whether trade marks, designs, patents or (in some countries) copyright, we help you decide which rights to file, in what territories and when
  • IP licensing
  • IP audits: most businesses do not know what rights they hold or where the risk areas lie. An IP audit shines a light in these dark IP corners so you can plan for the future
  • IP strategy: technology and social media mean that IP is in a constant state of flux. We help you manage your IP risks and maximise IP value
  • Anti-counterfeiting: whether it’s online or in a physical marketplace, we work with Customs, investigators and online platforms to stop counterfeit goods in their tracks

Who have our Partners worked with?

  • Sky UK
  • BBC
  • GB3 Limited
  • Busy Bees Nurseries
  • The Plum Guide
  • eBay
  • Colt Technology
  • A major luxury fashion house
  • A bastion of the modern High Street
  • One of the major gaming companies

Client testimonials

Rosie Burbidge is not only extremely capable, but also genuinely enthusiastic about intellectual property law. This gives her a passion and drive to provide the best advice, and Rosie will always give options and clear recommendations in an area of the law which has complex outcomes loopholes and international intrigues.

— Joe Adams, CFO, The Plum Guide

Rebecca Kelly exceeded expectations from the first phone call; not only did I get sound advice on protecting our company, I got brilliant commercial advice that has already helped me shape future deals and increase revenue.

— Managing Director, GB3 Limited

It was a pleasure to work with Charlotte O’Mara. Her straight-talking, down to earth manner coupled with her knowledge and experience put me at ease.

— Simon Dine, Composer and Producer

Erika Moralez-Perez advised and helped register intellectual property rights which increased the value of our business. This, together with reviewing all our contracts, ensured we achieved our desired sale price.

— Tim Noyes, Computers Unlimited

Sarah Purcell is one of those rare legal advisors who can give you the right legal advice but also give great guidance on the commercial aspects of any deal and come up with creative solutions. A safe and trusted pair of hands I was always happy to work with.

— Director of Startup Investments, Sky UK

Key Contacts

Nicky Androsov

Partner

Intellectual Property

Nick Berry

Partner

Intellectual Property

Rosie Burbidge

Partner

Intellectual Property

Michael Krantz

Partner

IP, Planning & Environment

Anthony Lee

Partner

Commercial, IP & Technology

Brian Miller

Legal Counsel

IP/IT, Data Protection & Commercial

Deborah Niven

Partner

Intellectual Property

Rachel Pearse

Partner

Intellectual Property

Akash Sachdeva

Partner

Intellectual Property & Litigation

Oliver Spuhler

Partner

Intellectual Property

Robert Taylor

Partner

Intellectual Property

Lisa Logan

Corporate & Commercial Partner

John Lane

Partner

Intellectual Property

Oliver Huq

Partner

Commercial, Data Protection & Compliance, Intellectual Property & IT

News and Insights from our Partners


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