The ‘best intellectual property set around‘ for many, 11 South Square is consistently involved in the market’s leading IP cases, including an enviable number of high-profile first instance trials and appeals. Recent highlights include Iain Purvis KC‘s representation of Ocado in a substantial Patents Court action concerning Autostore’s patents for automated warehousing technology; and in one of the one of the most talked-about patent cases of recent times – Neurim v Mylan, an ongoing dispute involving Neurim’s prolonged-release melatonin formulation used to treat insomnia, Circadin – Mark Vanhegan KC appeared as lead counsel for Mylan in the Patents Court on a preliminary injunction application. This was subsequently followed by an expedited appeal of such decision to the Court of Appeal, along with an expedited trial of the main action. The rising star juniors to note are Mitchell Beebe and Kyra Nezami, who are both increasingly involved in high-profile IP cases.
Intellectual property in
London Bar11 South Square
Testimonials
Set
‘11 South Square is a great set with real strength in depth, and a lot cheaper than some of its competitors at the IP bar.‘
‘11 South Square is the best IP set around.‘
‘11 South Square has considerable strength at all levels, from the newest junior to experienced silks; and it is rare that counsel at an appropriate level and with relevant experience cannot be found.‘
‘11 South Square is a go-to chambers for all IP matters, and with a strong field of counsel at all levels.‘
‘Very good IP set with very helpful barristers – one of the best and most friendly sets around.‘
Clerking
‘All the clerks are a pleasure to deal with.‘
8 New Square
Housing ‘excellent barristers at all levels of qualification‘, 8 New Square is consistently involved in the market’s most significant IP-related litigation, its expertise covering all aspects of patents, copyright and trade marks. Well known for his work in high-tech patent litigation, James Abrahams KC represented Lenovo in a major standards essential patent case that involved multiple trials, and 3G and 4G mobile phone technology issues; and Lindsay Lane KC has particular expertise in patents and supplementary protection certificates, trade marks, copyright, database rights, designs, passing off, and confidential information. At the set’s senior-junior end, James Whyte represented Boehringer Ingelheim International in a significant patent licensing dispute, which raised issues of German second medical use patent law and German contract law. In a boost to chambers, patent specialist James St Ville KC took silk in March 2022.
Testimonials
Set
‘Very strong for all contentious IP work.‘
‘8 New Square is one of the strongest IP sets at present – good depth and breadth.‘
‘A well-known IP set with a deep bench.‘
‘Excellent barristers at all levels of qualification.‘
‘The set has the greatest strength in depth of any of the IP sets.‘
Clerking
‘Nick Wise and Ben Newham are always happy to help, try to make things work with their barristers to deliver against deadlines, and take on feedback.‘
Three New Square
‘One of the premier IP chambers‘, leading-edge patent disputes form a large proportion of Three New Square‘s instructions. Members of chambers additionally appear in a number of high-profile disputes involving trade marks and passing off, as well as copyright and design rights. Significant cases during 2021 for Guy Burkill KC included defending Apple and its distributors in Optis v Apple, a substantial and high-value telecoms patent dispute involving eight patents in four separate patent families. Within the set’s senior-junior pool, Tim Austen‘s recent highlights include appearing unled for Match Group large online dating business in major trade mark infringement proceedings against competitor Muzmatch; and one of the barristers who appears most frequently at UK Intellectual Property Office hearings, Denise McFarland, is a highly sought-out trade mark specialist. Alice Hart and Thomas Lunt are the set’s rising stars.
Testimonials
Set
‘Three New square has real strength in depth.‘
‘One of the three top IP sets – it is rare to have a patent dispute without somebody from 3 New Square being instructed in some respect.‘
‘3 New Square is one of the premier IP chambers – from KCs to experienced juniors, it has a range and depth of expertise that allows it to take on any matter.‘
‘Very well regarded, with excellent specialists in the field at all levels. The set also offers training and broader-based support – a highly respected profile.‘
‘A go-to set for any trade mark/passing off claims, where it has huge strength. Its KC team is excellent, and it has a generation of brilliant juniors coming through.’
Clerking
‘All interactions with the clerking team are smooth and easy. The clerks are very well organised, responsive and clear on fees – there are no weak links.‘
Hogarth Chambers
Hogarth Chambers‘ ‘depth and breadth are spot on‘. The specialist IP set has longstanding expertise in trade mark work, with its members consistently appearing in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). Recently, Chambers has also developed a niche in cryptocurrency sector-related matters. Head of chambers Nicholas Caddick KC represented Studiocanal in a claim that a screenplay infringed the copyright of Ealing comedy Kind Heart and Coronets; and leading senior junior Amanda Michaels acted for the Manuka Honey Appellation Society, which wished to register a certification mark, such application opposed by both an Australian honey association and UK honey business, Rowse, which is part of Valeo Foods.
Testimonials
Set
‘Some real stars in the making at the junior end – the set goes from strength to strength and now has real depth.‘
‘Hogarth Chambers is a great set with some undervalued barristers. It is a broader church than some of its competitors, but that is often a good thing where there is a mix of IP and commercial issues in a case.’
‘The depth and breadth are spot on.‘
‘A very solid-performing IP Chambers. Its juniors, in particular, are very good and very usable.‘
‘A good chambers to deal with, and it always has someone on hand to assist.‘
Clerking
‘Excellent, approachable and friendly.‘
One Essex Court
One Essex Court‘s ‘IP team is exceptional‘. The set’s members have expertise in disputes involving trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs, as well as claims over patents, comparative advertising, database rights, trade secrets and privacy. Geoffrey Hobbs KC is the senior Appointed Person hearing Appeals from the UK Registrar of Trade Marks under s76 Trade Marks Act 1994; and Emma Himsworth KC‘s recent highlights include representing Nike against Puma’s High Court appeal of the Registrar of Trade Marks’ rejection of its opposition to Nike’s "FOOTWARE" trade mark application. Among the senior juniors, Guy Hollingworth acted for the Australian Manuka Honey Association in opposition proceedings against the New Zealand honey industry’s attempt to obtain a certification mark for "MANUKA HONEY".
Testimonials
Set
‘OEC is obviously one of the country’s leading sets.‘
‘The IP team is exceptional, with great strength in depth, range of expertise and availability.‘
‘All super lawyers and great people.‘
‘They all strike a wonderful combination of being fantastic advocates, while also being fun to work with.‘
‘The standard of the set’s IP side is excellent.‘
Clerking
‘The clerking is first rate.‘
Blackstone Chambers
Fielding ‘an extremely strong roster of counsel‘, Blackstone Chambers is best known for soft IP matters, but it is also sought out for hard IP-related work. In recent highlights, Michael Bloch KC represented two automobile manufacturers in registered design rights cases concerning new and vintage vehicle designs; James Segan KC, who appears regularly before the Patents Court as well as the Copyright Tribunal, acted for Lenovo against InterDigital in a global FRAND licensing action that related to Motorola and Lenovo smartphones.
Testimonials
Set
‘Great quality, depth and breadth.‘
‘Blackstone has an extremely strong roster of counsel, all of whom are impressive.‘
‘Very high-quality people.‘
‘Strong commercial set – true strength in depth.‘
‘A first-rate set.‘
Clerking
‘Excellent. They get it – reliability, transparency and accountability.‘
11 South Square
Testimonials
Set
‘11 South Square is a great set with real strength in depth, and a lot cheaper than some of its competitors at the IP bar.‘
‘11 South Square is the best IP set around.‘
‘11 South Square has considerable strength at all levels, from the newest junior to experienced silks; and it is rare that counsel at an appropriate level and with relevant experience cannot be found.‘
‘11 South Square is a go-to chambers for all IP matters, and with a strong field of counsel at all levels.‘
‘Very good IP set with very helpful barristers – one of the best and most friendly sets around.‘
Clerking
‘All the clerks are a pleasure to deal with.‘
8 New Square
Housing ‘excellent barristers at all levels of qualification‘, 8 New Square is consistently involved in the market’s most significant IP-related litigation, its expertise covering all aspects of patents, copyright and trade marks. Well known for his work in high-tech patent litigation, James Abrahams KC represented Lenovo in a major standards essential patent case that involved multiple trials, and 3G and 4G mobile phone technology issues; and Lindsay Lane KC has particular expertise in patents and supplementary protection certificates, trade marks, copyright, database rights, designs, passing off, and confidential information. At the set’s senior-junior end, James Whyte represented Boehringer Ingelheim International in a significant patent licensing dispute, which raised issues of German second medical use patent law and German contract law. In a boost to chambers, patent specialist James St Ville KC took silk in March 2022.
Testimonials
Set
‘Very strong for all contentious IP work.‘
‘8 New Square is one of the strongest IP sets at present – good depth and breadth.‘
‘A well-known IP set with a deep bench.‘
‘Excellent barristers at all levels of qualification.‘
‘The set has the greatest strength in depth of any of the IP sets.‘
Clerking
‘Nick Wise and Ben Newham are always happy to help, try to make things work with their barristers to deliver against deadlines, and take on feedback.‘
Three New Square
‘One of the premier IP chambers‘, leading-edge patent disputes form a large proportion of Three New Square‘s instructions. Members of chambers additionally appear in a number of high-profile disputes involving trade marks and passing off, as well as copyright and design rights. Significant cases during 2021 for Guy Burkill KC included defending Apple and its distributors in Optis v Apple, a substantial and high-value telecoms patent dispute involving eight patents in four separate patent families. Within the set’s senior-junior pool, Tim Austen‘s recent highlights include appearing unled for Match Group large online dating business in major trade mark infringement proceedings against competitor Muzmatch; and one of the barristers who appears most frequently at UK Intellectual Property Office hearings, Denise McFarland, is a highly sought-out trade mark specialist. Alice Hart and Thomas Lunt are the set’s rising stars.
Testimonials
Set
‘Three New square has real strength in depth.‘
‘One of the three top IP sets – it is rare to have a patent dispute without somebody from 3 New Square being instructed in some respect.‘
‘3 New Square is one of the premier IP chambers – from KCs to experienced juniors, it has a range and depth of expertise that allows it to take on any matter.‘
‘Very well regarded, with excellent specialists in the field at all levels. The set also offers training and broader-based support – a highly respected profile.‘
‘A go-to set for any trade mark/passing off claims, where it has huge strength. Its KC team is excellent, and it has a generation of brilliant juniors coming through.’
Clerking
‘All interactions with the clerking team are smooth and easy. The clerks are very well organised, responsive and clear on fees – there are no weak links.‘
Hogarth Chambers
Hogarth Chambers‘ ‘depth and breadth are spot on‘. The specialist IP set has longstanding expertise in trade mark work, with its members consistently appearing in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). Recently, Chambers has also developed a niche in cryptocurrency sector-related matters. Head of chambers Nicholas Caddick KC represented Studiocanal in a claim that a screenplay infringed the copyright of Ealing comedy Kind Heart and Coronets; and leading senior junior Amanda Michaels acted for the Manuka Honey Appellation Society, which wished to register a certification mark, such application opposed by both an Australian honey association and UK honey business, Rowse, which is part of Valeo Foods.
Testimonials
Set
‘Some real stars in the making at the junior end – the set goes from strength to strength and now has real depth.‘
‘Hogarth Chambers is a great set with some undervalued barristers. It is a broader church than some of its competitors, but that is often a good thing where there is a mix of IP and commercial issues in a case.’
‘The depth and breadth are spot on.‘
‘A very solid-performing IP Chambers. Its juniors, in particular, are very good and very usable.‘
‘A good chambers to deal with, and it always has someone on hand to assist.‘
Clerking
‘Excellent, approachable and friendly.‘
One Essex Court
One Essex Court‘s ‘IP team is exceptional‘. The set’s members have expertise in disputes involving trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs, as well as claims over patents, comparative advertising, database rights, trade secrets and privacy. Geoffrey Hobbs KC is the senior Appointed Person hearing Appeals from the UK Registrar of Trade Marks under s76 Trade Marks Act 1994; and Emma Himsworth KC‘s recent highlights include representing Nike against Puma’s High Court appeal of the Registrar of Trade Marks’ rejection of its opposition to Nike’s "FOOTWARE" trade mark application. Among the senior juniors, Guy Hollingworth acted for the Australian Manuka Honey Association in opposition proceedings against the New Zealand honey industry’s attempt to obtain a certification mark for "MANUKA HONEY".
Testimonials
Set
‘OEC is obviously one of the country’s leading sets.‘
‘The IP team is exceptional, with great strength in depth, range of expertise and availability.‘
‘All super lawyers and great people.‘
‘They all strike a wonderful combination of being fantastic advocates, while also being fun to work with.‘
‘The standard of the set’s IP side is excellent.‘
Clerking
‘The clerking is first rate.‘
Blackstone Chambers
Fielding ‘an extremely strong roster of counsel‘, Blackstone Chambers is best known for soft IP matters, but it is also sought out for hard IP-related work. In recent highlights, Michael Bloch KC represented two automobile manufacturers in registered design rights cases concerning new and vintage vehicle designs; James Segan KC, who appears regularly before the Patents Court as well as the Copyright Tribunal, acted for Lenovo against InterDigital in a global FRAND licensing action that related to Motorola and Lenovo smartphones.
Testimonials
Set
‘Great quality, depth and breadth.‘
‘Blackstone has an extremely strong roster of counsel, all of whom are impressive.‘
‘Very high-quality people.‘
‘Strong commercial set – true strength in depth.‘
‘A first-rate set.‘
Clerking
‘Excellent. They get it – reliability, transparency and accountability.‘