Thomsons

Intellectual Property; Dispute Resolution; Franchising

Senior Consultant

Tony acts for a broad range of clients including technology companies, drug developers, medical device manufacturers, IT businesses, and franchisors. He has advised on commercialisation of technologies from startups through to IPO and trade sale, including drug development, medical devices, IT and other technology sectors. His clients have included Australian companies expanding internationally and international companies entering the Australian market.

Tony advises on complex commercial agreements and disputes across intellectual property, IT, life sciences, licensing and franchising. His commercialisation experience covers technology transfer, licensing, joint ventures and commercialisation pathways from development through to market. Tony has conducted many successful cases through to the High Court and has been involved in more than 100 mediations. He has broad international experience particularly in the USA, UK, Europe and Asia, including cases involving cross-country jurisdiction and coordination.

Tony has more than 49 years' experience in complex commercial matters, including taking Australian companies into international markets such as the United States, China, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and managing cases involving cross-jurisdictional and parallel proceedings.

His four decades of experience and long-standing leadership roles in Australian and international IP and franchise organisations give him an institutional perspective, with a solution driven and practical approach, that is rare in private practice. Tony is also admitted to the National Court of Justice of Papua New Guinea.

Former Queensland Chairman of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Law Council of Australia until 2018 Former Deputy Chair for Australia of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Law Council of Australia until 2018 Former Chair of the Queensland Law Society Franchise Committee until 2018 American Bar Association (Forums on Franchising and Intellectual Property) International Bar Association American Intellectual Property Law Association Licensing Executives Society International International Distribution Institute (Europe – only Australia legal correspondent) Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ) International Franchise Association Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors Admitted to the Supreme Courts of QLD, NSW, VIC & NT, the Federal and High Courts and the National Court of Justice of Papua New Guinea First Mediator appointed in Queensland by the Office of Mediation Advisor and the Federal Minister under the Franchise Code of Conduct in 1996

Master of Laws, Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland Graduate – Securities Institute of Australia Approved Mediator of Disputes by Queensland Law Society Inc Mediator appointed by the Office of Mediation Advisor and the Federal Minister under the Franchise Code of Conduct Admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland