Simon Malynicz KC
'Simon remains the premier trade mark silk and the one you do not want to appear on the other side. His experience in high-profile trade mark cases is unparalleled and he always has something clever up his sleeve.'
Hogarth Chambers is praised as a ‘go-to set for IP advocacy’, and its members are especially skilled in the area of trade marks. The set also handles cases surrounding copyright, designs, and confidential information, and it is increasingly active in patent-related mandates. Among the set’s notable bench of silks is Nicholas Caddick KC, who boasts particular expertise in cases involving contractual disputes over intellectual property rights. Simon Malynicz KC has appeared before all levels of court, including the UKIPO and the EUIPO, the Supreme Court, and the CJEU. Of recent note, Malynicz KC represented the claimants in Swatch and others v Samsung, a case concerning allegations of trade mark infringement arising from the defendant’s sale of smartwatches capable of displaying faces similar to the claimant's watches. Another key silk is Andrew Norris KC, and he regularly acts for individual rights holders and multinational brands, as well as patent owners. Specialist intellectual property silk Jeremy Reed KC and patent law expert Richard Davis KC are also key members of the team. Among the juniors, Michael Hicks stands out for his broad-ranging experience across copyright, patents, trade marks, passing off, designs, and confidential information cases. Hicks is acting for the claimant, who claims to be the creator of the Bitcoin electronic cash system, in Wright v BTC Core and others, a case addressing whether copyright can exist within the Bitcoin system. Amanda Michaels is an Appointed Person and frequently hears appeals from the UKIPO in trade mark mandates.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Adam Homes is great; efficient, affable and he gets things done.'
- 'The clerks are very good, efficient, and sensible, especially Clive Nicholls.'
- 'Clive Nicholls and John Davies are good and pragmatic.'
- 'Superb. Adam Homes is a standout. Very friendly, very can-do, and very responsive.'
- 'David Court is very dynamic and like a man on a mission.'
- 'The clerks are extremely helpful and ensure that queries are addressed very quickly, in particular Clive Nicholls and John Davies, who are always available and prepared to go the extra mile.'
- 'They are all kind, witty and responsive, especially John Davies, Clive Nicholls and Adam Homes.'
Lawyers
Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Nicholas Caddick KC
‘Nicholas is very bright and a genuine pleasure to work with. He produces very high-quality written work, he engages in open-minded discussion about the issues before delivering well thought-out arguments, and at all times, he demonstrates a very good understanding of the client's commercial interests and how they factor into the solution.'
Andrew Norris KC
'Andrew is a superb advocate. Calm, considered and knowledgeable, he commands the court's confidence, and on cross-examination, he is dextrous, probing witnesses.'
Jeremy Reed KC
2023 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Richard Davis KC
Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
Michael Hicks
Michael is very well respected by judges. He is quick on his feet and able to absorb complex arguments quickly.'
Amanda Michaels
'Amanda is highly commercial and has extensive experience. Her advocacy is based on a market-leading insight into the underlying mechanisms of UK practice, which means she is able to guide UK Hearing Officers in novel manners.'
Tom St Quintin
Guy Tritton
'Guy is incredibly smart, provides very convincing written submissions and knows how to present a case to its best advantage. He is very pleasant to work with and is very client-friendly.'
Gwilym Harbottle
'Gwilym is incredibly knowledgeable on copyright matters, provides clear and commercial advice, and gets to grips with the real issues in a case very quickly.'
Charlotte Blythe
‘Charlotte is extremely user friendly, approachable and pragmatic. She is great on her feet and cool under pressure, and her written work is clear and methodical and always delivered on time.'
Jonathan Moss
Jonathan is strong on copyright matters. He is pragmatic and practical.'
Jamie Muir Wood
Jamie is very good to work with, practical and thoughtful, and generally has a proposal to sort out a problem. Very good experience in trade marks disputes, and he is a strong advocate.'
Sam Carter
Ben Longstaff
'Ben presents as a very calm and erudite barrister. He grasps difficult situations quickly and is able to distil the points in issue with ease, he is client friendly but equally adept at providing unpalatable advice when required, and he works extremely hard and has very good response times.'
Nick Zweck
Nick is hardworking and always willing to take on tasks to help meet deadlines. His written work is of a high quality.’