Michael Gardner

Partner, Head of IP & Commercial

IP & Commercial
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Expertise

Michael advises clients in relation to disputes involving commercial, contractual, reputation management, IT and in particular, intellectual property matters. This includes trade marks, passing off, copyright, databases, designs, patents, confidential information and disputes involving all forms of business and IT contracts. In the reputation management space, he advises on defamation and privacy issues.

Michael is experienced in all forms of IP dispute resolution including litigation in the High Court and IPEC including the obtaining of urgent injunctive relief. His practice includes anti-counterfeiting work (including in the online space) and advising on parallel imports. He also advises on brand protection and reputation management generally and conducts trade mark prosecution work and domain name dispute resolution.

Recent Experience

  • Bringing claims for trade mark infringement and passing off against online-based financial services company.
  • Obtaining urgent injunctive relief for an overseas based client to restrain breaches of confidential information by a former employee.
  • Winning an apology and damages for defamation, acting for a well-known figure in the world of business and politics.
  • Bringing claims for breach of contract on behalf of a web development company against its customer.
  • Bringing and defending trade mark opposition proceedings before both the UK and European Union Intellectual Property Offices.
  • Defending retailer against registered and unregistered design infringement claims.

Career History

Michael joined Wedlake Bell in 1993 and qualified as a solicitor in 1995. Prior to it, he obtained degree in Modern History and International Relations from the University of Reading. He also passed the Common Professional Examination in 1992.

Michael became a partner in 2001 and head of the IP team in 2005.

Publications

Michael is author of The Bright Idea Handbook published by Which? – a guide for would-be entrepreneurs on how to protect IP rights, author of the IP chapters in the advertising industry’s trade publication AdLaw published by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

Endorsements

Ranked in The Legal 500, “Mike Gardner is outstandingly good with clients“.

Michael continues to be ranked in Chambers and is listed as a Managing IP Trade Mark Star for 2022.

Mike Gardner is outstandingly good with clients and also works well with Debra Goldwyn, who is brilliant at detail.

Legal 500, 2023

An outstanding commercial IP solicitor.

Chambers UK, 2022

He is very good on the big picture as well as being very good on detail - to get those two together is a great treat.

Chambers UK, 2021

"Knowledgeable and effective litigator"

Chambers UK, 2018

News

Law360: Vardy ‘Own Goal’ Shows Risks Of Destroying Evidence

“It is possible that the evidence destruction or ‘manifestly untrue’ evidence given by Vardy in the witness box could be grounds to start committal proceedings for contempt of court orRead more

News

The i: Rebekah Vardy scored own goal with knee-jerk legal battle against Coleen Rooney, say lawyers

Rebekah Vardy has today lost the libel trial she brought against rival Wag Coleen Rooney, with the judge ruling that “significant parts of her evidence were not credible”. Partner MichaelRead more

Bulletins

Ed Sheeran Facing Another Lawsuit For Copyright Claim

Michael Gardner talks to Sky News regarding Marvin Gaye’s estate suing Ed Sheeran for stealing core elements of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 hit ‘Lets Get It On’. Click the link belowRead more

Bulletins

Black cab shape not distinctive enough to be trademark, say judges

Appeal court rules against London Taxi Company, which claimed exclusive right to shape of its cars in order to thwart rival firm Please click on the links below to readRead more

News

‘This is the beginning not the end’ – Mail Online

In this article from the Mail Online, Michael Gardner comments as Grime artist Sami Switch breaks silence after losing copyright court battle with Ed Sheeran as judge rules ‘Shape ofRead more

News

“A tale of two Mercks — what the Big Pharma dispute teaches us” Michael Gardner has article published in Spear’s Magazine

Partner and Head of IP & Commercial, Michael Gardner, has had an article published in Spear’s Magazine on the Merck case, that recently reached England’s Court of Appeal. On protecting aRead more

Bulletins

Colour trade marks and branding – The struggle continues

It is often said that a picture conveys more than a thousand words. In the world of brands, the same can be said of colours. Colours and colour schemes provideRead more

News

“Experts Suggest 3M Push For ‘Settlement Fee’ In F1 Logo Row” – Michael Gardner comments for Forbes

Partner and Head of IP & Commercial, Michael Gardner, has had his comments published in Forbes following American conglomerate, 3M’s, trademark dispute over Formula One’s new logo. On the subject,Read more

Brexit

Brexit negotiations: cart before horse?

There has been much attention over the bank holiday weekend about what allegedly happened on the evening of 26 April when the British PM, Theresa May met with Jean Claude-JunckerRead more

Bulletins

Victory for UK broadcasters against march of digital

Television broadcasting has been transformed by the march of digital technology. Channels such as ITV, which lost their near-monopoly on TV advertising long ago, need all the revenue they canRead more

Bulletins

Vidal-Hall v Google – potential headache for data controllers

The Court of Appeal has issued a potentially important ruling in the Vidal Hall v Google internet privacy case that could have significant implications for all organisations that are “dataRead more

Bulletins

“SUPREME” pet food no longer” and “no Deluxe for Lidl”

Two recent decisions – one in the English High Court and one in Europe – have served as a timely reminder of the difficulties inherent in choosing descriptive words asRead more

Bulletins

Private: Interflora v M&S – the saga continues

The 6 year legal battle between flower delivery giant Interflora and M&S has taken a new twist following the Court of Appeal’s latest appeal ruling in the case (Interflora IncRead more

News

​Camilla Wallace and Michael Gardner’s joint article is published in Spear’s

The article was originally published by Spear’s on 24 September 2018. Who really owns Lynn Chadwick’s art? A dispute over the estate of the late artist and sculptor provides anRead more

Brexit

Michael Gardner’s comments are published in City A.M. – Brexit Case

The article was already published by City A.M. on Tuesday 4 December 2018. Brexit case: European Court says Article 50 can be reversed The Court of Justice of the EuropeanRead more

News

Michael Gardner’s comments are published in The Times – December 11, 2018

The article was originally published by The Times on December 11, 2018. ECJ ruling is not carte blanche to cancel Brexit Legal experts said that the ruling from the CourtRead more

News

“F1 on collision course with stationery company over new logo in embarrassing trademark row” – Michael Gardner comments for The Independent

Partner and Head of our IP & Commercial Team, Michael Gardner, has had his comments on the Formula 1 trade mark row published by The Independent. Speaking of 3M’s suitRead more