Over a period of many years our Intellectual Property team has gained wide experience in dealing with and resolving disputes of many kinds in most aspects of intellectual property.

Our clients include major UK plcs and many US, European, and Japanese and South African corporations.

Intellectual property is particularly significant in the context of trade, particularly international trade. IP disputes tend as a consequence to be extremely varied, as do the means for resolving them. Such means may include negotiation, mediation, litigation and arbitration - all fields in which we have extensive experience. Resolution by negotiation is our preferred method and the one most consistent with the commercial objectives of our clients, but it is not always appropriate.

We have extensive experience in conducting High Court litigation and acted for the successful Claimant in the Gerber v Lectra patent infringement litigation in the 1990s which resulted in the highest ever award of damages in a patent infringement action by a UK court.

Urgent action, perhaps in the form of applications for interim injunctions, is frequently vital. We regularly undertake litigation of this kind on behalf of our clients.

Many of our cases form part of a wider picture involving litigation or other proceedings in one or more other jurisdictions. Our methods of working are adapted specifically with this in mind. We have a wide network of associate law firms in other countries well able to represent the interests of our clients. We recognise the extreme importance of communicating by the most effective means and have high levels of aptitude in the use of IT systems which make this possible.