11 South Square is well-known for its work on leading IP cases in first instance trials and appeals, and its members are well-versed in appearing before the European Patent Office, General Court, and Court of Justice of the European Union. Iain Purvis KC has an all-encompassing IP practice, from patents to trade marks, and Michael Silverleaf KC is notable in cases involving complex technical facts, including monoclonal antibodies, medical devices, drug delivery systems, automotive catalysts, and wind power generation. Of recent note, he acted for the claimant in Original Beauty Technology Company & Others v G4K Fashion & Oh Polly, which concerned claims of passing off and infringement of design rights. With his scientific background, Mark Vanhegan KC is regularly instructed by high-profile clients across all levels of courts and tribunals, and he successfully represented Philips in a trial concerning the validity of two of its patents. The set is also home to patent expert Piers Acland KC, and Hugo Cuddigan KC, who has substantial experience in the music and entertainment industries.
Intellectual property in
London Bar
11 South Square
Testimonials
‘The clerks at 11 South Square are very helpful and engaged with matters to ensure smooth running. Ashley Carr is fantastic and always on hand if listing or availability issues arise and is very keen to smooth things over if unexpected availability issues do happen from time to time.’
‘Jordan Foley and Sam Fullilove are the best IP clerks.’
‘A strong set and among the strongest for IP.’
‘They are leaders in the field.’
‘The barristers at 11 South Square have a broad range and depth of experience and they instil confidence that they can resource any IP issue.’
‘The clerking at 11 South Square is second to none. They are extremely responsive and flexible when the need arises.’
‘The clerks do a brilliant job.’
‘The clerks are responsive and friendly.’
8 New Square
The team at 8 New Square has a strong reputation for regularly handling major intellectual property litigation, with expertise across the entire range of patents, copyright, and trade marks, representing clients in all levels of the court system. Michael Tappin KC represented the claimant in Nokia v Oppo, a claim regarding patent infringement in the telecoms sector. Andrew Lykiardopoulos KC is notable in patent-related cases, and Martin Howe KC is strong in IP mandates concerning technology, including those involving the internet, broadcasting and computer systems, as well as biotech and pharmaceuticals. High-tech patent litigation is a significant strength of James Abrahams KC and he represents clients in the telecoms, pharmaceutical, advanced medical devices, and engineering industries. Lindsay Lane KC has a broad-ranging practice, with significant expertise in database rights, designs, passing off, and confidential information; she is instructed by the claimant in Ensygnia v Shell regarding a patent concerning bar codes. Justin Turner KC joined the set from Three New Square in July 2022.
Testimonials
‘The team is slick and professional, especially Nick Wise.’
‘Responsive and reliable. Nick Wise is a pleasure to deal with.’
‘8 New Square is an excellent IP specialist set, with real strength in depth.’
‘One of the best IP sets.’
‘They have great strength in depth and are very easy to work with, as well as being genuine experts.’
‘Excellent chambers with helpful and knowledgeable clerks and a wide variety of excellent barristers.’
‘Very strong set for all types of IP disputes.’
‘Nick Wise is very good.’
Work highlights
Hogarth Chambers
Hogarth Chambers is strong in handling instructions concerning trade marks, copyright, designs, confidential information, and increasingly, patents. Its members regularly appear before the UKIPO, High Court, and Court of Appeal, as well as the Supreme Court. Head of chambers Nicholas Caddick KC was instructed on behalf of the claimant in Studiocanal Films v Wild Bunch SA, a High Court action regarding a copyright licence agreement for fifteen animated films made by Studio Ghibli. Roger Wyand KC advises on a range of patent cases involving pharmaceuticals, life sciences, and electronics, and Alastair Wilson KC is strong on patent actions with heavy technical content. Andrew Norris KC is another notable group member. In team news, Richard Davis KC, who is also qualified as a patent attorney, made silk in 2023 and Simon Malynicz KC joined the set from Three New Square with a strong practice in contentious trade mark matters - he is representing Tesco in a dispute with Lidl regarding an alleged trademark infringement arising from Tesco’s use of a yellow circle in Tesco Clubcard branding.
Testimonials
‘The clerks are thoroughly sound individuals, many of whom have stacks of experience. Ian Bowie and Clive Nicholls are so well-known in IP circles that they need no introduction.’
‘The clerks are brilliant. Clive Nicholls and Ian Bowie lead a brilliant team.’
‘Ian Bowie is one of the most experienced IP clerks in the business.’
‘All of the clerks at Hogarth are always very helpful. John Davies is particularly helpful when it comes to negotiating diaries and agreeing fee arrangements.’
‘All the clerks are very good.’
‘Hogarth has a number of junior barristers who are reliable and do a good job.’
‘One of the best IP chambers.’
‘Hogarth is a go-to set for soft IP. Great clerks and barristers that love their work.’
Three New Square
The members of Three New Square are sought after for their skills in complex patent disputes, in addition to cases involving copyright, passing off, trade marks, and design rights. Guy Burkill KC focuses on patent litigation in the technology and telecoms sectors – he represented Apple and its distributors in a high-value telecoms-related patent dispute involving eight patents in four patent families against Optis, which claimed that Apple was using its technology without an appropriate license. Douglas Campbell KC‘s practice encompasses both patent and non-patent work, and Thomas Hinchliffe KC has expertise in the pharmaceutical and electronics sectors. Tim Austen regularly appears before the Patents Court, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, and the Court of Appeal – he was also instructed by Match Group in successful trade mark infringement and passing off proceedings against Muzmatch, a Muslim dating app that claimed it had a defence of honest concurrent to be able to use the term ‘match’ in its branding. Charles Brabin is skilled in patent work regarding electronics, as is Joe Delaney.
Testimonials
‘Tim Fairburn is excellent; communicative, honest, and always flexible on brief fees and timings.’
‘Excellent; Nick Hill is always very easy to work with.’
‘Nick Hill is brilliant and a go-to clerk.’
‘Three New Square is an excellent set with great depth.’
‘Excellent chambers with lots of highly recommended barristers.’
‘Great strength in depth, including a good spread of experience.’
‘Three New Square is the chambers of choice as the barristers there are first-rate.’
‘There are extremely competent juniors there.’
Blackstone Chambers
Blackstone Chambers is highly reputable in trade mark and copyright matters in the media and entertainment industries; Robert Howe KC is highly adept in this area and he represented the defendant in Warner Music v TuneIn before the Court of Appeal, a case regarding if hyperlinks are a form of communication to the public. James Segan KC frequently provides representation before the Patents Court, as well as the Copyright Tribunal - he represented Ocado on a patent dispute with Norwegian company Autostore concerning the robots used in its warehouses.
Testimonials
‘Danny Compton is very good at arranging help with very busy barristers.’
‘The set and the clerks are excellent.’
‘Blackstone Chambers provides good service, particularly with a number of very good KCs.’
‘Blackstone is a leader in the field of IP.’
‘Blackstone has a number of strong barristers who delve into IP disputes.’
‘The clerks are supportive and efficient.’
‘The clerks are very helpful.’
‘Clerks are friendly and helpful.’
One Essex Court
One Essex Court has significant expertise across a wide range of IP disputes, including those involving trade marks, passing off, copyright, designs, comparative advertising, database rights, trade secrets, and privacy. It also handles contractual and licensing disputes involving IP rights, and the set has been increasingly active in patent-related mandates. Geoffrey Hobbs KC is the senior appointed person that hears appeals from the UK Registrar of Trade Marks under s76 Trade Marks Act 1994, and both he and Philip Roberts KC are instructed by the claimants on the landmark Supreme Court case Sky Plc v Skykick UK regarding trade mark infringements and the test for determining bad faith in the Trade Marks Act 1994. Emma Himsworth KC also sits as an appointed person, and is particularly skilled in matters involving trade marks and passing off, and senior junior Guy Hollingworth represents the claimant in TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited v Stitch Editing Ltd, a case concerning Stitch Editing’s application to register the trademark STITCH.
Testimonials
‘One Essex Court is well managed. The team of clerks are organised, easy to deal with, and quick to respond. Jackie Ginty and Jack Leppington are fantastic to work with and offer excellent support on every matter.’
‘Jackie Ginty and Jack Leppington are both great clerks and very responsive.’
‘The clerks are incredibly helpful and very responsive.’
‘Good, responsive, and timely.’
‘One Essex Court works together seamlessly. If one particular counsel is not available, an alternative is offered, and the alternative works collaboratively with former counsel to ensure continued representation for the client. Clients really value the consistency that comes with this approach, as well as getting effectively two views on their case!’
‘They are all excellent lawyers who are a pleasure to work with.’
‘One Essex Court has a set of outstanding advocates.’
11 South Square
Testimonials
‘The clerks at 11 South Square are very helpful and engaged with matters to ensure smooth running. Ashley Carr is fantastic and always on hand if listing or availability issues arise and is very keen to smooth things over if unexpected availability issues do happen from time to time.’
‘Jordan Foley and Sam Fullilove are the best IP clerks.’
‘A strong set and among the strongest for IP.’
‘They are leaders in the field.’
‘The barristers at 11 South Square have a broad range and depth of experience and they instil confidence that they can resource any IP issue.’
‘The clerking at 11 South Square is second to none. They are extremely responsive and flexible when the need arises.’
‘The clerks do a brilliant job.’
‘The clerks are responsive and friendly.’
8 New Square
The team at 8 New Square has a strong reputation for regularly handling major intellectual property litigation, with expertise across the entire range of patents, copyright, and trade marks, representing clients in all levels of the court system. Michael Tappin KC represented the claimant in Nokia v Oppo, a claim regarding patent infringement in the telecoms sector. Andrew Lykiardopoulos KC is notable in patent-related cases, and Martin Howe KC is strong in IP mandates concerning technology, including those involving the internet, broadcasting and computer systems, as well as biotech and pharmaceuticals. High-tech patent litigation is a significant strength of James Abrahams KC and he represents clients in the telecoms, pharmaceutical, advanced medical devices, and engineering industries. Lindsay Lane KC has a broad-ranging practice, with significant expertise in database rights, designs, passing off, and confidential information; she is instructed by the claimant in Ensygnia v Shell regarding a patent concerning bar codes. Justin Turner KC joined the set from Three New Square in July 2022.
Testimonials
‘The team is slick and professional, especially Nick Wise.’
‘Responsive and reliable. Nick Wise is a pleasure to deal with.’
‘8 New Square is an excellent IP specialist set, with real strength in depth.’
‘One of the best IP sets.’
‘They have great strength in depth and are very easy to work with, as well as being genuine experts.’
‘Excellent chambers with helpful and knowledgeable clerks and a wide variety of excellent barristers.’
‘Very strong set for all types of IP disputes.’
‘Nick Wise is very good.’
Work highlights
Hogarth Chambers
Hogarth Chambers is strong in handling instructions concerning trade marks, copyright, designs, confidential information, and increasingly, patents. Its members regularly appear before the UKIPO, High Court, and Court of Appeal, as well as the Supreme Court. Head of chambers Nicholas Caddick KC was instructed on behalf of the claimant in Studiocanal Films v Wild Bunch SA, a High Court action regarding a copyright licence agreement for fifteen animated films made by Studio Ghibli. Roger Wyand KC advises on a range of patent cases involving pharmaceuticals, life sciences, and electronics, and Alastair Wilson KC is strong on patent actions with heavy technical content. Andrew Norris KC is another notable group member. In team news, Richard Davis KC, who is also qualified as a patent attorney, made silk in 2023 and Simon Malynicz KC joined the set from Three New Square with a strong practice in contentious trade mark matters - he is representing Tesco in a dispute with Lidl regarding an alleged trademark infringement arising from Tesco’s use of a yellow circle in Tesco Clubcard branding.
Testimonials
‘The clerks are thoroughly sound individuals, many of whom have stacks of experience. Ian Bowie and Clive Nicholls are so well-known in IP circles that they need no introduction.’
‘The clerks are brilliant. Clive Nicholls and Ian Bowie lead a brilliant team.’
‘Ian Bowie is one of the most experienced IP clerks in the business.’
‘All of the clerks at Hogarth are always very helpful. John Davies is particularly helpful when it comes to negotiating diaries and agreeing fee arrangements.’
‘All the clerks are very good.’
‘Hogarth has a number of junior barristers who are reliable and do a good job.’
‘One of the best IP chambers.’
‘Hogarth is a go-to set for soft IP. Great clerks and barristers that love their work.’
Three New Square
The members of Three New Square are sought after for their skills in complex patent disputes, in addition to cases involving copyright, passing off, trade marks, and design rights. Guy Burkill KC focuses on patent litigation in the technology and telecoms sectors – he represented Apple and its distributors in a high-value telecoms-related patent dispute involving eight patents in four patent families against Optis, which claimed that Apple was using its technology without an appropriate license. Douglas Campbell KC‘s practice encompasses both patent and non-patent work, and Thomas Hinchliffe KC has expertise in the pharmaceutical and electronics sectors. Tim Austen regularly appears before the Patents Court, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, and the Court of Appeal – he was also instructed by Match Group in successful trade mark infringement and passing off proceedings against Muzmatch, a Muslim dating app that claimed it had a defence of honest concurrent to be able to use the term ‘match’ in its branding. Charles Brabin is skilled in patent work regarding electronics, as is Joe Delaney.
Testimonials
‘Tim Fairburn is excellent; communicative, honest, and always flexible on brief fees and timings.’
‘Excellent; Nick Hill is always very easy to work with.’
‘Nick Hill is brilliant and a go-to clerk.’
‘Three New Square is an excellent set with great depth.’
‘Excellent chambers with lots of highly recommended barristers.’
‘Great strength in depth, including a good spread of experience.’
‘Three New Square is the chambers of choice as the barristers there are first-rate.’
‘There are extremely competent juniors there.’
Blackstone Chambers
Blackstone Chambers is highly reputable in trade mark and copyright matters in the media and entertainment industries; Robert Howe KC is highly adept in this area and he represented the defendant in Warner Music v TuneIn before the Court of Appeal, a case regarding if hyperlinks are a form of communication to the public. James Segan KC frequently provides representation before the Patents Court, as well as the Copyright Tribunal - he represented Ocado on a patent dispute with Norwegian company Autostore concerning the robots used in its warehouses.
Testimonials
‘Danny Compton is very good at arranging help with very busy barristers.’
‘The set and the clerks are excellent.’
‘Blackstone Chambers provides good service, particularly with a number of very good KCs.’
‘Blackstone is a leader in the field of IP.’
‘Blackstone has a number of strong barristers who delve into IP disputes.’
‘The clerks are supportive and efficient.’
‘The clerks are very helpful.’
‘Clerks are friendly and helpful.’
One Essex Court
One Essex Court has significant expertise across a wide range of IP disputes, including those involving trade marks, passing off, copyright, designs, comparative advertising, database rights, trade secrets, and privacy. It also handles contractual and licensing disputes involving IP rights, and the set has been increasingly active in patent-related mandates. Geoffrey Hobbs KC is the senior appointed person that hears appeals from the UK Registrar of Trade Marks under s76 Trade Marks Act 1994, and both he and Philip Roberts KC are instructed by the claimants on the landmark Supreme Court case Sky Plc v Skykick UK regarding trade mark infringements and the test for determining bad faith in the Trade Marks Act 1994. Emma Himsworth KC also sits as an appointed person, and is particularly skilled in matters involving trade marks and passing off, and senior junior Guy Hollingworth represents the claimant in TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited v Stitch Editing Ltd, a case concerning Stitch Editing’s application to register the trademark STITCH.
Testimonials
‘One Essex Court is well managed. The team of clerks are organised, easy to deal with, and quick to respond. Jackie Ginty and Jack Leppington are fantastic to work with and offer excellent support on every matter.’
‘Jackie Ginty and Jack Leppington are both great clerks and very responsive.’
‘The clerks are incredibly helpful and very responsive.’
‘Good, responsive, and timely.’
‘One Essex Court works together seamlessly. If one particular counsel is not available, an alternative is offered, and the alternative works collaboratively with former counsel to ensure continued representation for the client. Clients really value the consistency that comes with this approach, as well as getting effectively two views on their case!’
‘They are all excellent lawyers who are a pleasure to work with.’
‘One Essex Court has a set of outstanding advocates.’