The Legal 500

Al Tamimi & Company’s ‘very accessible’, ‘very experienced’ intellectual property team has ‘high levels of knowledge’, and, with offices across the GCC, it has a breadth of coverage that few local firms can match. The team’s expertise encompasses enforcement and litigation as well as trade mark prosecution, which grew steadily in 2011. It acted for clients such as Nokia, Burberry and Samsung. Omar Obeidat demonstrates ‘excellent knowledge and leadership’ at the head of a team that includes ten trade mark and patent administrators, and which provides ‘excellent service’.

Clyde & Co LLP handles ‘complex IP issues to the highest level’, with clients opining that few can match Rob Dean’s ‘combination of UAE and English IP law knowledge’. His team focuses on high-end IP matters through its Arabic-speaking fee earners, and recently strengthened its resources by recruiting new trade mark team head Jon Parker from Rouse. Joycia Young is ‘always fast, prompt, accurate and concise’.

Rouse ‘takes time to understand clients’ concerns and how they work, and adapts its service to meet those concerns’. Its dedicated focus on IP makes it a desirable proposition in the market, with 21 IP professionals covering all areas of contentious and non-contentious IP for clients such as Adidas Group and Diageo. Sara Holder heads the team, which acted for the Mr. Price Group, a South African retailer, in a long-running trade mark infringement action involving the trade marks MR PRICE and MY PRICE and a series of interlinked litigation cases in the UAE and Qatar. The Dubai office also handles anti-counterfeiting and anti-infringement matters across the MENA region.

DLA Piper Middle East LLP fields an IP team that is ‘well staffed with lawyers from different cultural backgrounds monitored by experienced partners’, and collectively it delivers ‘a highly responsive, timely, sophisticated, accurate and localised’ service. Highlights included advising Averda International on its global brand protection strategy. The team also continues to advise Irdeto Access BV in contentious and piracy issues throughout the Middle East and South Asia region. In 2011, Ken Dearsley was appointed practice head and Paul Allen was promoted to partner following Matt Glynn’s move to Hong Kong and Joycia Young’s departure to Clyde & Co LLP. Senior legal consultant Bachir Abouchakra is recommended for his ‘strong knowledge of local laws’.

Hadef & Partners handles contentious and non-contentious IP matters for its corporate and TMT client base. On the transactional side, Melissa Murray advises Red Bull FZE, Sumo Sushi & Bento and Butlers Chocolate Café on IP licensing and protection, while Richard Briggs acted for Alokozay Group and Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Co in anti-counterfeiting actions against factories in Pakistan, Nepal and the UAE.

Khasawneh & Associates (in association with Eversheds KSLG)’s Nasser Ali Khasawneh has a strong focus on IP matters, which he handles for a global client base.

SNR Denton’s three-partner IP team has been acting for Luxottica Group – owner of the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands – on its IP-related issues, including trade mark registrations and parallel importation matters relating to Ray-Ban sunglasses. It also handles anti-counterfeiting matters for Spirits International, owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand. Joby Beretta heads the team.

Saba & Co’s Dubai office handles contentious and non-contentious IP matters throughout the Middle East. Highlights for Hady Khawand’s team included representing Grohe’s Middle East operation in relation to counterfeit Grohe products being sold in the UAE.

TheRightsLawyers’ specialist IP and IT practice is ‘responsive’ and ‘a pleasure to work with’. It has been steadily developing its capabilities in patent prosecution, dispute resolution and trade mark portfolio management, and is particularly well regarded in the media and entertainment space, where its clients include software games developer Ubisoft and Turner Broadcasting Company. Highlights included advising Etihad Rail on developing its IP protection strategy. Managing partner Mark Hill is ‘approachable, flexible and down to earth’.