Expertise

Michael advises clients in relation to disputes involving commercial, IT and in particular intellectual property matters. This includes trade marks, passing off, copyright, databases, designs, patents, confidential information, privacy and disputes involving IT contracts.

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 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.
• Defending claims of trade mark infringement against a telecommunications provider.
• 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.