Michael Silverleaf KC KC > Chambers of Iain Purvis KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
11 South Square Offices
11 South Square
GRAY'S INN
LONDON
WC1R 5EY
England
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Michael Silverleaf KC KC
Position
Barrister in many leading intellectual property cases involving: patents, trade marks, passing off, copyright and related rights, registered and unregistered designs, computer disputes, breach of confidence, performers rights, entertainment and media law, restraint of trade, trade libel, trade descriptions, related areas of European and domestic competition law; practice in tribunals and courts at all levels up to the House of Lords and European Courts of Justice and the UK and European Patent Offices. Recent cases include:
Advanced Bionics AG v MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate [2021] EWHC 2415 (Pat) – (Patents Court)
IPCom v Vodafone [2021] EWCA Civ 205 – (Appeal)
Pliteq Inc & Anor v iKoustic Ltd & Anor [2020] EWHC 2564 (IPEC) – (trade mark infringement/passing off)
Genentech v Comptroller [2020] EWCA Civ 475 – (Appeal)
Lifestyle Equities v Royal County of Berkshire Polo [2019] EWCH 1872 (Ch) Club – (trade mark infringement)
Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Generics (UK) Ltd t/a Mylan and anr [2018] UKSC 56 – (Supreme Court)
Wobben Properties GmbH v Siemens Public Ltd Company & Ors [2017] EWCA Civ 5 – (Appeal)
Victoria Plum Ltd (t/a Victoria Plumb) v Victorian Plumbing Ltd & Ors [2016] EWHC 2911 (Ch) – (Trade mark infringement)
Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) v Warner-Lambert Co LLC [2016] EWCA Civ 1006 – (Appeal)
Napp Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd v Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (UK) Ltd and Sandoz Ltd [2016] EWHC 1517 (Pat) (patent infringement);
Richter Gedeon Vegyeszeti Gyar RT v Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) [2016] EWCA Civ 410 (patent validity);
The Sofa Workshop Ltd v Sofaworks Ltd [2015] EWHC 1773 (IPEC) (trade mark infringment, passing off);
JW Spear v Zynga [2015] EWCA Civ 290 (trade mark infringement);
Starbucks v BSkyB (UKSC 2013/0274) (passing off);
Fresh Trading Ltd v Deepend Fresh Recovery Ltd [2015] EWHC 52 (copyright);
Interflora v M&S [2014] EWCA Civ 1403 (Google ad words);
Nokia v HTC (patent infringement, standards essential licensing) (2013-4, settled);
Confidential design arbitration, 32Red of [2013] EWHC 815 (Ch) (damages inquiry);
32Red Ltd v William Hill Gaming (UK) Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 19 (trade marks);
Football DataCo v Sportradar [2013] EWCA Civ 27 (database right);
Samsung v Apple [2012] EWCA Civ 1339 (registered designs of tablet computers);
Schlumberger Holdings Ltd v Electromagnetic Geoservices AS [2010] RPC 33 (CA) (inventive step, validity, patents);
Abbott v Bayer (EPO anti-TNF alpha human monoclonal antibodies);
Newspaper Licensing Agency Ltd v Meltwater Holding BV [2011] RPC 7 (ChD), [2012] RPC 1 (CA) (copyright licensing schemes, literary works).
Career
Trained Gray’s Inn, qualified 1980; QC 1996; junior counsel to the treasury in patent matters 1991-96; qualified as a mediator 2004 and practises actively in this field; appointed to Nominet DRS Expert Panel member 2008-12. Publications: ‘Passing Off Law and Practice’ (Butterworth’s 2nd ed 1995); also many articles in the legal press and papers delivered at professional conferences and seminars.
Languages
French.
Memberships
Intellectual Property Bar Association; Chancery Bar Association.
Education
King’s College School, Wimbledon; Imperial College, London (1975 BSc Physics); Inns of Court School of Law.
Leisure
Cycling, hockey, walking and reading.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > Mediators
(Mediators)Ranked: Tier 5Michael Silverleaf KC – 11 South Square
Michael Silverleaf KC at 11 South Square ‘tries very hard to get a commercial solution’ and ‘is very calm and measured, which avoids unnecessary escalation.’ In addition to being regularly instructed to mediate IP-related disputes, Silverleaf is a member of the DRS Expert Panel, through which he decides domain name disputes.
Michael Silverleaf KC – 11 South Square
Michael Silverleaf KC at 11 South Square ‘tries very hard to get a commercial solution’ and ‘is very calm and measured, which avoids unnecessary escalation.’ In addition to being regularly instructed to mediate IP-related disputes, Silverleaf is a member of the DRS Expert Panel, through which he decides domain name disputes.
London Bar > Intellectual property
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Michael Silverleaf KC – 11 South Square ‘Michael is a persuasive advocate with a mastery of intellectual property law. He is great at presenting his argument on even the most complex of points in a straightforward way that is judge friendly, he is extremely clever, thorough, and hardworking in his preparation, and his cross-examination is formidable.’
The members of 11 South Square are sought after by high-profile clients to represent them in intellectual property litigation before all levels of the UK court system, in addition to European fora. The set boasts a large volume of silks in its ranks, including Iain Purvis KC, who handles cases surrounding both patents and trade marks. Of recent note, Purvis KC acted for Tesco in a trade mark infringement case brought by Lidl surrounding the introduction of a new advertising campaign to promote Tesco Clubcard, at issue was the use of a yellow circle on a blue background. Michael Silverleaf KC is strong in cases that require knowledge of technical areas, including monoclonal antibodies, medical devices, and drug delivery systems, as well as wind power generation, automotive catalysts, and shipbuilding. With a scientific background, Mark Vanhegan KC has appeared before the Supreme Court in cases concerning intricate technology, and Piers Acland KC is well known for his pharmaceutical patent work, which is exemplified by his representation of Moderna in a patent trial against Biontech and Pfizer surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine. Anna Edwards-Stuart KC made silk in the 2024 round, and Edward Cronan joined the set from Hogarth Chambers, bringing particular expertise in the patent litigation space.
London Bar > Media and entertainment
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Michael Silverleaf KC – 11 South Square ‘Michael is fast, accurate, and excellent in conference and on paper. He is also a respected and trusted advocate.’