Intellectual Property

Leading Silks

Piers Acland KC – 11 South Square ‘Piers is a phenomenal advocate and one of the best cross-examiners at the IP Bar. He is forensic, tenacious and incisive, and there’s nothing that slips past his turbocharged analytical brain.’

Daniel Alexander KC - 8 New Square

Geoffrey Hobbs KC – One Essex Court ‘Geoffrey is very practical and user friendly in his delivery of the advice to the client. He instills much confidence from the client's perspective and clients always benchmark other views against his advice.'

Andrew Lykiardopoulos KC – 8 New Square ‘Andrew is one of the best KCs for patent matters in London. He is a very strong advocate and very skilled at identifying the key aspects of a case to focus on, and he is also an excellent team player, working extremely well with the solicitors on the case and quickly building a strong rapport with clients.'

Simon Malynicz KC – Hogarth Chambers 'Simon remains the premier trade mark silk and the one you do not want to appear on the other side. His experience in high-profile trade mark cases is unparalleled and he always has something clever up his sleeve.'

Charlotte May KC – 8 New Square ‘Charlotte's real strengths are her inclusive, pragmatic approach with a focus on key issues. When working with her, she is very much part of the entire team which she cares about, including juniors in solicitor team, and consequently, she is able to quickly galvanise a team and direct their focus to dealing with the critical issues efficiently.'

Tom Mitcheson KC – Three New Square ‘As well as a highly talented advocate, Tom is incredibly user friendly and gets the significance of working closely with the client, as well as solicitors. He has built from being an excellent all rounder to a specialised higher court advocate and has a perhaps unparalleled number of appeal cases, including in the Supreme Court.'

Iain Purvis KC – 11 South Square ‘Iain is very big on wisdom and judgement, on both the law and how a court will respond to different arguments, and his ultra-calm demeanour is appreciated by courts, clients and solicitors alike. His advocacy is highly effective.’

Michael Silverleaf KC – 11 South Square 'Michael is a persuasive advocate with a mastery of intellectual property law. He is great at presenting his argument on even the most complex of points in a straightforward way that is judge friendly, he is extremely clever, thorough, and hardworking in his preparation, and his cross-examination is formidable.'

Adrian Speck KC –8 New Square

Michael Tappin KC – 8 New Square

Justin Turner KC – 8 New Square

Mark Vanhegan KC – 11 South Square ‘Mark is versatile, hard working, and he has a collaborative approach, which is greatly appreciated. His advocacy is particularly strong in submissions and he is capable of changing judges' minds, which means he is always on the shortlist for a new case.'

Andrew Waugh KC – Three New Square ‘Andrew is the finest barrister for life-sciences patent cases in London. He is a quick read, smart, insightful, fierce, and witty.'

James Abrahams KC – 8 New Square

Michael Bloch KC – Blackstone Chambers 'Michael has a phenomenal intellect and a rigorous advocacy style. He is also phenomenally bright, he will test arguments until they are robust, and he carries the room easily when speaking.'

Guy Burkill KC –Three New Square

Hugo Cuddigan KC – 11 South Square ‘Hugo is a first pick KC for almost any IP matter. He has a first-rate strategic legal mind, he is one of the most effective advocates at the IP Bar, and he is supremely efficient and clear in both his written and oral submissions, and knows how to read and work a court room.’

Michael Edenborough KC – Serle Court ‘Michael is a very strong advocate who is clever and tactically really good. He focuses on maximising the strong points, he has a strong presence, and he is not afraid to get stuck in when necessary.'

Emma Himsworth KC – One Essex Court 'Emma is a star. She is on top of the detail, client-friendly, collaborative, and a calm and incisive presence in court.'

Thomas Hinchliffe KC – Three New Square ‘Thomas gets on board a matter very speedily, provides astute advice, and is always ready to roll his sleeves up and deal with matters strategically and expeditiously. His advocacy is powerful.'

Brian Nicholson KC – 11 South Square ‘Brian is outstanding in all respects. An exceptional advocate with mastery of highly complex technical subject matter, phenomenal strategic insight and great to work with all round, he is masterful in cross-examination and oral submissions in High Court litigation.'

Philip Roberts KC – One Essex Court ‘Philip is wonderfully perspicacious, principled and sensible. He is a truly trusted advocate with a rare ability to distil complex situations into digestible points, and he is impeccable on his feet.'

Benet Brandreth KC – 11 South Square ‘Benet is an extraordinary barrister. He prepares carefully and precisely, his analysis is highly forensic and he is an extremely eloquent advocate, capable of unpacking complex arguments and explaining them compellingly.'

Nicholas Caddick KC – Hogarth Chambers ‘Nicholas is very bright and a genuine pleasure to work with. He produces very high-quality written work, he engages in open-minded discussion about the issues before delivering well thought-out arguments, and at all times, he demonstrates a very good understanding of the client's commercial interests and how they factor into the solution.'

Douglas Campbell KC – Three New Square 'Douglas is very good with the client, with a practical and commercial approach.'

Martin Howe KC – 8 New Square

Robert Howe KC – Blackstone Chambers

Lindsay Lane KC – 8 New Square 'Lindsay is an excellent team player who reads the judge well and knows when to push a point and when to hold back. She is a pleasure to work with and she wins cases.'

Ian Mill KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘Ian has a great presence, brilliant analysis, and magnificent judgement.'

Thomas Moody-Stuart KC – 8 New Square

Andrew Norris KC – Hogarth Chambers 'Andrew is a superb advocate. Calm, considered and knowledgeable, he commands the court's confidence, and on cross-examination, he is dextrous, probing witnesses.'

James Segan KC – Blackstone Chambers ‘James is a star. He is thoughtful and strategic with his advice and one of the truly outstanding advocates at the Bar.’

Richard Boulton KC - One Essex Court 'Richard is very collaborative and he listens to everyone's views and opinions in order to formulate the best arguments and strategies for the case. He has a very credible and persuasive style of advocacy, which garners trust from the judges he appears before.'

Mark Chacksfield KC – 8 New Square 'Mark really gets on top of the underlying technical issues and the evidence, but can zoom out to the big picture. Very persuasive in court, has a good manner in court, and he is not afraid to advance difficult propositions.'

Thomas Raphael KC – Twenty Essex

Jeremy Reed KC – Hogarth Chambers

Nicholas Saunders KC – Brick Court Chambers

James St Ville KC – 8 New Square ‘James has a great willingness to help an interest in the case and clients' needs. He is very personable, very thorough, and very successful in his cases.’

2023 Silks

Richard Davis KC – Hogarth Chambers

2024 Silks

Josephine Davies KC – Twenty Essex 'Josephine is a strong and compelling advocate. She looks ahead to anticipate potential problems and presents solutions to them, and she is a user friendly, commercially minded advisor.'

Anna Edwards-Stuart KC – 11 South Square 'Anna quickly gets to grips with the issues, gives very clear and consistent advice throughout, and her advice is confirmed by the judgment following the trial. Anna quickly gains the client's confidence by providing clear advice at meetings with our client throughout, and she is particularly strong in advising in person.'

Leading Juniors

Stuart Baran – Three New Square ‘Stuart is one of the stars of the junior IP Bar. With a brilliant mind and incredible work ethic, he’s on top of his brief and extremely presentable in front of clients.’

Miles Copeland – Three New Square ‘Miles is unflappable. He is cool under pressure and delivers great advice.'

Michael Hicks – Hogarth Chambers ‘Michael is very well respected by judges. He is quick on his feet and able to absorb complex arguments quickly.'

Guy Hollingworth – One Essex Court ‘Guy is probably the best trade mark and copyright IP barrister at the London Bar. He is at the very top of his field as a trial lawyer with a wonderful court manner, and he is forensic, detailed and knowledgeable.’

Isabel Jamal – 8 New Square ‘Isabel integrates seamlessly into the broader legal team. She provides well-thought-through, pragmatic advice on the strengths and weaknesses of the case and the associated strategic decisions regarding its presentation, and she is excellent at seeing how the various parts of the case interact with each other and charting persuasive arguments that avoid any landmines.’

Amanda Michaels – Hogarth Chambers 'Amanda is highly commercial and has extensive experience. Her advocacy is based on a market-leading insight into the underlying mechanisms of UK practice, which means she is able to guide UK Hearing Officers in novel manners.'

Kathryn Pickard – 11 South Square ‘Kathryn is razor-sharp, both in her oral advocacy and written work. Those who have worked with her attest to her range of abilities, as she has a great work ethic, turns around work product expeditiously, is unafraid of running novel points, has superb drafting, and is also great on her feet.'

Tom St Quintin – Hogarth Chambers

Jaani Riordan – 8 New Square ‘Jaani is a star of the junior IP Bar. He is forensic, committed, hard working and smart, and he is on top of the legal issues across the board.’

Guy Tritton – Hogarth Chambers 'Guy is incredibly smart, provides very convincing written submissions and knows how to present a case to its best advantage. He is very pleasant to work with and is very client-friendly.'

James Whyte – 8 New Square 'There is no hesitation in recommending James to clients. He is thorough and detailed in his advice, he is a pleasure to work with, and he maintains a calm demeanour, even in the most stressful of times.'

Chris Aikens – 11 South Square ‘Chris is outstanding on his feet and his written work is excellent. He is a barrister you can really trust and has the judgement of Solomon.’

Tom Alkin – 11 South Square ‘Tom is an absolute pleasure to work with. He has great judgement on which points to run and how best to frame them, he is a very strong advocate, and he is also an excellent team player.'

Jessie Bowhill – 8 New Square

Joe Delaney – Three New Square ‘Joe is extremely bright and a deep thinker. He contributes well to discussions with clients, other counsel, and experts, and in his advocacy, he is clear with good arguments.'

Gwilym Harbottle – Hogarth Chambers 'Gwilym is incredibly knowledgeable on copyright matters, provides clear and commercial advice, and gets to grips with the real issues in a case very quickly.'

David Ivison – 11 South Square

Denise McFarland – Three New Square ‘Denise's technical knowledge across her specialisms is second-to-none. She is incredibly thorough and able to explain complex points of law, practice and procedure to clients in a language they can understand, and what truly sets Denise apart is her commercial acumen and desire to understand a client's commercial objectives.'

Katherine Moggridge – Three New Square ‘Katherine has a fierce intelligence and an uncanny ability to get right to the nub of the matter quickly and with clear expression. She is clear, articulate, and efficient, and she is one of the finest barristers.'

Geoffrey Pritchard – Three New Square ‘Geoffrey is an experienced barrister and works well as part of a wider team. He is responsive and commercial too.'

Tim Austen – Three New Square ‘Tim is a strong patents junior barrister with a great personality. He is on top of all facets of the case and provides excellent advice throughout.'

Charlotte Blythe – Hogarth Chambers ‘Charlotte is extremely user friendly, approachable and pragmatic. She is great on her feet and cool under pressure, and her written work is clear and methodical and always delivered on time.'

Charles Brabin – Three New Square 'Charles has incredible attention to detail and is considered in his drafting. Both these traits are really reassuring when working on pleadings or evidence with him, as you can be sure he has contemplated the multiple different ways a particular passage can be interpreted, and he is also always willing to explain and discuss alternative wording.'

Ashton Chantrielle – 8 New Square ‘Ashton's career is progressing extremely well. Her written work is top-shelf, she is excellent before the court, and she is client-friendly.'

Beth Collett – 8 New Square ‘Beth is sharp with an eye to the wider strategy. Beth is very collaborative, taking on board and enhancing the ideas of others in the team, and she is a forthright advocate who can think on her feet and use both passion and a forensic attention to detail to make her case.’

Michael Conway – 8 New Square 'Michael is very clever, he is a good communicator, and he is easy to get on with. He is particularly good on his feet responding to questions from the judge on the key issues, demonstrating a firm grasp of the issues and a quick mind.'

William Duncan –8 New Square

Adam Gamsa – 11 South Square ‘Adam has a good overview of the strategic battlegrounds of the case and is always available to give a view on decision points throughout the case. His oral advocacy is thoughtful, structured, and tailored to the panel.'

Christopher Hall – 11 South Square ‘Christopher is intelligent, hard working and very impressive on his feet. He comfortably goes toe-to-toe with the leading silks.’

Jeremy Heald – Three New Square

Jonathan Hill – 8 New Square ‘Jonathan is one of the IP barristers who is equally adept at contractual litigation, so a go-to person for disputes involving a mixture of contractual interpretation and IP. Very user friendly, personable and easy work with.'

Thomas Jones – 8 New Square ‘Thomas is an excellent junior destined for bigger things. Very impressive on his feet, he gets very involved in the detail and is more accessible than most at the IP Bar.’

Victoria Jones – 3PB ‘Victoria is well prepared, responsive, proactive and great to work with. She has a thorough knowledge of trade mark law, is able to put forward oral arguments clearly and concisely, and thinks quickly on her feet.'

Heather Lawrence – 11 South Square 'Heather's strengths include the thoroughness of her preparation, the ability to make the right tactical decisions, her quiet and understated advocacy that is nevertheless highly effective, an understanding of scientific and technological matters, particularly chemistry, her drafting skills applied to the preparation of pleadings, and her willingness and ability to work with her instructing solicitors as a team.'

Jonathan Moss – Hogarth Chambers ‘Jonathan is strong on copyright matters. He is pragmatic and practical.'

Jamie Muir Wood – Hogarth Chambers ‘Jamie is very good to work with, practical and thoughtful, and generally has a proposal to sort out a problem. Very good experience in trade marks disputes, and he is a strong advocate.'

Alaina Newnes – One Essex Court ‘Alaina is an expert at getting on top of complex facts quickly and is very responsive, easy to work with and great on strategy. She writes well and produces very helpful, concise notes for those who lead her, identifying the most important points from a legal, procedural and commercial perspective.’

Daniel Selmi – Three New Square ‘Daniel has a very compelling style of advocacy which puts the case at its very strongest. He is phenomenally bright and able to master cases of the utmost complexity, whether in technical or legal aspects.'

Stephanie Wickenden – Serle Court ‘Stephanie has excellent command of the papers and her advocacy skills are very good. She represents excellent value for her level of call and is much in demand.'

Theo Barclay – 4 New Square Chambers ‘Theo is an exceptionally bright and commercial barrister who deals with complex fact patterns and commercial issues with apparent ease. His advocacy is particularly impressive, as he is calm and unflappable under pressure with a particular talent for thinking on his feet to respond to unexpected points.'

Iona Berkeley – 8 New Square ‘Iona is an extremely thorough and intelligent barrister who is great at looking around corners to anticipate the next steps in proceedings.'

Nicole Bollard – 3PB 'Nicole is a clear communicator who is able to explain a range of complex intellectual property issues in concise terms.'

Sam Carter – Hogarth Chambers ‘Sam has very detailed knowledge of the law relating to trade mark infringement and passing off.'

Thomas Elias – Serle Court ‘Thomas is strong of mind and willing to make the difficult arguments in his client's best interests. He provides the advice that matters at an early stage, cuts through issues, and is a quick thinker on his feet.'

Dominic Hughes – Three New Square ‘Dominic is a first-rate IP barrister with considerable experience and expertise across the full spectrum of IP rights. He is excellent with clients and with judges, as well as respectful to the other side, and he is always a first choice.'

Andrew Lomas – One Essex Court 'Andrew is bright, hard working, and a lot of fun to work with. He will in the fullness of time rise to the top.'

Ben Longstaff – Hogarth Chambers 'Ben presents as a very calm and erudite barrister. He grasps difficult situations quickly and is able to distil the points in issue with ease, he is client friendly but equally adept at providing unpalatable advice when required, and he works extremely hard and has very good response times.'

Georgina Messenger – Three New Square ‘Georgina is an excellent advocate, she presents the case in a clear, persuasive way and is a delight to work with. Her knowledge of IPO trade mark proceedings is outstanding and her work is always of a high quality.'

Jacqueline Reid – 11 South Square ‘Jacqueline is direct and ferocious, and someone whom you would always want in your corner. She can be very straight talking, which clients appreciate.'

Henry Ward –8 New Square

Nick Zweck – Hogarth Chambers ‘Nick is hardworking and always willing to take on tasks to help meet deadlines. His written work is of a high quality.'

Rising Stars

Faizul Azman - 3PB 'Faizul is an extremely robust individual with a mind for clear and concise advice. He has a particular eye for niche details, thinks outside the box, and is extremely commercially minded.'

Mitchell Beebe – 11 South Square ‘Mitchell has a great, can-do attitude and his prior experience as a solicitor means he has a good understanding of the work needed to support a case to trial.'

Edward Cronan – 11 South Square 'Edward is an excellent junior with a deep understanding of patent law. He is not afraid, in a constructive and appropriate way, to challenge those more senior so that the very best case is presented.'

Edmund Eustace – 8 New Square

Alice Hart – Three New Square ‘Alice is a go-to junior at the IP Bar. She is competent, thorough, and responsive.’

Thomas Lunt – Three New Square ‘Thomas is exceptionally talented, very bright, and personable. He gets stuck in with the work and consistently makes helpful suggestions and drives things forward.'

Kyra Nezami – 11 South Square 'Kyra is outstanding and couldn't be recommend more highly. She is technically excellent and thorough with an excellent memory for details, her calm but robust manner always gives you confidence in court, and she is personable and approachable, which makes her easy to work with.'

Intellectual property in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

11 South Square

The members of 11 South Square are sought after by high-profile clients to represent them in intellectual property litigation before all levels of the UK court system, in addition to European fora. The set boasts a large volume of silks in its ranks, including Iain Purvis KC, who handles cases surrounding both patents and trade marks. Of recent note, Purvis KC acted for Tesco in a trade mark infringement case brought by Lidl surrounding the introduction of a new advertising campaign to promote Tesco Clubcard, at issue was the use of a yellow circle on a blue background. Michael Silverleaf KC is strong in cases that require knowledge of technical areas, including monoclonal antibodies, medical devices, and drug delivery systems, as well as wind power generation, automotive catalysts, and shipbuilding. With a scientific background, Mark Vanhegan KC has appeared before the Supreme Court in cases concerning intricate technology, and Piers Acland KC is well known for his pharmaceutical patent work, which is exemplified by his representation of Moderna in a patent trial against Biontech and Pfizer surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine. Anna Edwards-Stuart KC made silk in the 2024 round, and Edward Cronan joined the set from Hogarth Chambers, bringing particular expertise in the patent litigation space.

Les références

‘Sam Fullilove is an excellent clerk.’

‘Ashley Carr is very strong; you definitely want him on your side!’

‘The clerks are very helpful, in particular Ashley Carr, who will always be most accommodating and helpful when needed.’

Principaux dossiers

8 New Square

The members at 8 New Square are highly experienced in representing clients in all levels of court across the entire remit of IP-related cases, including those surrounding patents, copyrights, and trade marks. Among its strong bench of silks sits Michael Tappin KC, who has appeared before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, and he is representing one of the claimants in BioNTech and Pfizer v Moderna and CureVac, which concerns a claim for the revocation of patents and counterclaims regarding the alleged infringement of patents regarding Covid-19 vaccinations. Andrew Lykiardopoulos KC is a notable name in the patents and copyright space, while Charlotte May KC acted for the claimant in a telecommunications patent infringement case which also questioned the validity of the patent involved (Phillips v OPPO). The set is also home to Martin Howe KC, who is especially skilled in cases regarding complex technology, including broadcasting and telecommunications-related technology, as well as biotech and pharmaceuticals, and James Abrahams KC, who is sought after for his expertise in high-tech patent litigation, often surrounding engineering and medical devices. Lindsay Lane KC is another key name at the set with significant experience in the entire range of IP matters, including patents, trade marks, copyrights, and database and design rights, as well as the tort of passing off.

Les références

‘Ben Newham is excellent and practicable.’

‘Nicholas Wise is friendly and helpful, as is Philip Taylor.’

‘Excellent team of clerks who are attentive and sympathetic.’

Principaux dossiers

Hogarth Chambers

Hogarth Chambers is praised as a ‘go-to set for IP advocacy‘, and its members are especially skilled in the area of trade marks. The set also handles cases surrounding copyright, designs, and confidential information, and it is increasingly active in patent-related mandates. Among the set’s notable bench of silks is Nicholas Caddick KC, who boasts particular expertise in cases involving contractual disputes over intellectual property rights. Simon Malynicz KC has appeared before all levels of court, including the UKIPO and the EUIPO, the Supreme Court, and the CJEU. Of recent note, Malynicz KC represented the claimants in Swatch and others v Samsung, a case concerning allegations of trade mark infringement arising from the defendant’s sale of smartwatches capable of displaying faces similar to the claimant's watches. Another key silk is Andrew Norris KC, and he regularly acts for individual rights holders and multinational brands, as well as patent owners. Specialist intellectual property silk Jeremy Reed KC and patent law expert Richard Davis KC are also key members of the team. Among the juniors, Michael Hicks stands out for his broad-ranging experience across copyright, patents, trade marks, passing off, designs, and confidential information cases. Hicks is acting for the claimant, who claims to be the creator of the Bitcoin electronic cash system, in Wright v BTC Core and others, a case addressing whether copyright can exist within the Bitcoin system. Amanda Michaels is an Appointed Person and frequently hears appeals from the UKIPO in trade mark mandates.

Les références

‘Adam Homes is great; efficient, affable and he gets things done.’

‘The clerks are very good, efficient, and sensible, especially Clive Nicholls.’

‘Clive Nicholls and John Davies are good and pragmatic.’

Principaux dossiers

Three New Square

‘IP powerhouse’ Three New Square is home to a number of active barristers including Guy Burkill KC, who boasts particular expertise in the patent litigation arena, especially in cases surrounding the telecoms and technology industries. Douglas Campbell KC is another notable silk, and he practices in patent, trade mark, and confidential information cases. Thomas Hinchliffe KC also specialises in patent-related work, specifically in cases involving the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and computing sectors. Tom Mitcheson KC is another active team member who has been instructed on a large volume of leading and high-profile cases. Turning to the juniors, Denise McFarland has a thriving trade marks practice, and Tim Austen regularly appears before a range of courts for his clients, including the Patents Court, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Commercial Court, as well as the EPO.

Les références

‘The chambers is an IP powerhouse with an excellent clerking team. Nick Hill is first rate, junior clerk Georgia Onyett is learning the ropes well and Zena Robbins on reception is a warm and welcoming presence for all clients.’

‘The clerks are generally just a pleasure to deal with. We get fantastic service from all of the clerks but I have been very impressed with Owen Beedle this year. He has handled a complex matter for me with great professionalism and skill and always with good humour. Nick Hill is always fantastic to deal with and I appreciate his input and guidance on advocate options and listings.’

‘The clerks are fantastic, in particular Nick Hill, who is the best clerk in town. He is incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and available. He will go out of his way to ensure that you are looked after, will push for the best position in listing and other court matters whilst always being extremely professional and friendly. I cannot think of a better clerks’ room in IP specialist chambers.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers is home to numerous experts who possess strengths across the full spectrum of intellectual property disputes. Michael Bloch KC is active in registered design right cases, while Robert Howe KC boasts substantial experience in representing clients from the media and entertainment sector. James Segan KC regularly appears before the Patents Court with a strong patent licensing disputes practice, in addition to representing clients before the Copyright Tribunal.

Les références

‘Excellent and very responsive clerks. Derek Sutton is a star.’

‘We get good service from the clerks.’

‘Excellent set with top barristers who are consistently good across a broad range of disciplines.’

Principaux dossiers

One Essex Court

Praised as a ‘go-to‘ chambers, One Essex Court has been increasingly active in patent-related disputes. Its members are also well versed in cases involving trademarks, copyright, and designs, as well as passing off and licensing disputes. The set is home to Geoffrey Hobbs KC, who is the current senior appointed person that hears appeals from the UK Registrar of Trade Marks. Of recent note, Hobbs represented one of the defendants in the case of Koninklijke Philips NV v Tinno Mobile Tech Corpn and others, in which the jurisdiction of the English court under Articles 29 and 30 of the Brussels I Regualtion was disputed, and French proceedings were preferred. Trademark and passing off expert Emma Himsworth KC is acting for the claimant in Virgin Enterprises Ltd v Brightline Holdings LLC, a case concerning a trade mark licence agreement which the defendants wish to terminate.

Les références

‘Excellent services from the clerks, in particular Jackie Ginty, Adam Wheeler, and Jade Cassell.’

‘The clerks’ room is extremely efficient. Jackie Ginty is very good, very responsive, and very efficient.’

‘Always satisfied. Jackie Ginty and Jack Leppington are always particularly helpful.’

Classements par PratiqueLondon Bar