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.