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  1. Intellectual property – Leading Sets
  2. Intellectual property – Leading Silks
  3. Intellectual property – Leading Juniors

The ‘hugely impressive’ Three New Square is praised for its ‘first-rate clerking team’. Simon Thorley QC retains his ‘doyen’ status at the IP Bar; he is ‘well liked by clients and a joy to work with’. Antony Watson QC is ‘a formidable advocate’; Andrew Waugh QC is ‘very thorough and hardworking’; and Richard Miller QC is a ‘very dedicated QC’, who is ‘very ‘sound in his judgement’. Of the juniors, Simon Malynicz’s strong reputation in court continues, following his arrival from Hogarth Chambers in 2011. Also recommended are Tom Mitcheson (‘an excellent junior who gives prompt, sound advice’); Douglas Campbell, who ‘combines a tenacious, forensic and results-driven approach’; and Tom Hinchliffe (‘methodical and thorough’).

At 8 New Square, Daniel Alexander QC has ‘very good expertise in hard and soft IP’, and the ‘reliable’ James Mellor QC is ‘a great team leader’. Undoubtedly a star’, Richard Meade QC receives impressive recommendations from solicitors and, since becoming QC in 2008, ‘leads the new crop of silks’. Top juniors include Adrian Speck (‘a first-class intellect, with ‘excellent cross-examination skills’); Andrew Lykiardopoulos (‘a leading figure in the field’); and Charlotte May (‘a meticulous advocate’). James Abrahams and Fiona Clark are also well-respected practitioners.

At 11 South Square ‘there is consistent quality, which runs through the whole set, rather than reliance on a few star names’. ‘One of the top patent silks and great on his feet’, Henry Carr QC acted for L’Oréal in the ECJ hearing L’Oréal v eBay. Michael Silverleaf QC is ‘outstandingly intelligent’ and ‘you can count the number of silks in his class on the fingers of one hand’. Iain Purvis QC is ‘one of the wisest IP silks, with a measured, calm demeanour to boot’. Among the juniors, Brian Nicholson is ‘absolutely top drawer’; Richard Hacon ‘takes time to understand what the client wishes to achieve’; and Anna Edwards-Stuart is ‘very hardworking and unfailingly cheerful’. Giles Fernando is ‘bright, dedicated and knowledgeable’, and Jacqueline Reid is ‘a real fighter you would want in your corner’.

A ‘personalised and attentive set with a sense of commercial reality’, Hogarth Chambers is recommended for its experience in acting on European aspects of IP issues. Roger Wyand QC is ‘a superb advocate, who should be considered if you need someone to argue a difficult case’, and Alastair Wilson QC is ‘extremely intelligent and able to get on top of complex legal issues quickly’. Michael Hicks has ‘extensive and deep knowledge of IP law’, and Guy Tritton has ‘very good commercial nous and a certain instinct for choosing the right strategy for a case’. Amanda Michaels delivers ‘solid, authoritative and thoroughly sensible advice’, and Gwilym Harbottle is ‘good with clients and excellent in court’.

One Essex Court’s Geoffrey Hobbs QC has ‘the best gut feel for trade marks cases in the UK, bar none’; ‘he couples photographic recall of the case law with acute commercial sense’. Emma Himsworth is ‘the young pretender to the title of trade marks guru’, who acted for Marks & Spencer in a trade mark infringement case relating to adwords in online advertising. Philip Roberts is a ‘highly technical lawyer and accomplished advocate’, and Guy Hollingworth is ‘down-to-earth and a pleasure to work with’.

Michael Bloch QC at Wilberforce Chambers acted in the high-profile Lucasfilm v Ainsworth case involving IP issues relating to the merchandising of helmets and armour used in Star Wars. Bloch’s junior in this case was Alan Bryson, who also successfully represented Diageo in a complex trade mark opposition appeal to the High Court.

Also recommended are highly respected silks Ian Mill QC at Blackstone Chambers (whose ‘grasp of soft IP – copyright in particular – is first class’); and Michael Edenborough QC of Serle Court (‘an excellent all-rounder who gives quick, practical advice’). Of the juniors, clients single out Mark Engelman at Hardwicke, who acted in The Estate of Adrian Jacobs v JK Rowling & Bloomsbury Publishing. Other noteworthy practitioners include Brick Court Chambers’ new recruit Nicholas Saunders (formerly of Hogarth Chambers); the ‘pragmatic and commercially minded’ Malcolm Chapple of New Square Chambers; and the ‘most helpful’ Robert Deacon at 11 Stone Buildings.

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