Intellectual Property

Serle Court’s intellectual property practice comprises more than a dozen members, from senior silks to recent juniors.

We provide advice and advocacy services across the full spectrum of IP rights, including Trade marks and passing-off, Copyright and designs (registered and unregistered), Patents and confidential information, other diverse areas such as moral rights, data protection issues, geographical indications, plant varieties rights and artist resale rights.

One of our members is Consultant Editor for Butterworth’s Handbook of IP Law (13^th to 17^th editions inclusive), reflecting our long-standing contribution to thought leadership in the field.

A number of members authored or contributed to Contentious Trade Mark Registry Proceedings (2nd edition published by CITMA in 2023), described as “a tour de force…replete with practical guidance built on [Chambers’] huge experience in this technical and highly specialised area.”

We have a particularly strong reputation in trade mark registration matters, with extensive experience before the UK tribunals (both the Trade Mark Registry and the Appointed Person) and the UK courts.

Our barristers also have extensive experience in copyright matters, notably those relating to the music and entertainment industries, acting for many artists, record and film companies, agents and publishers. In addition, members have undertaken advisory work in international, European and comparative copyright law, including assisting in legislative drafting and representations to governmental departments and international organisations.

Several of our barristers hold scientific doctorates and are instructed in technologically heavy patent and confidential information cases, often complicated by the involvement of non-IP areas of law.

Given the broad commercial and chancery make-up of Chambers, we are well placed to advise on the interaction of IP issues with other areas such as company law, insolvency, tax disputes, trusts, jurisdictional matters, and private international concerns. Many of our barristers can act in matters spanning both commercial chancery and specialist IP issues, avoiding the need to instruct multiple counsel.