As a partner in our Intellectual Property practice based in London and head of Bird & Bird's International Product Design group, I specialise in protecting and enforcing innovative or high tech product design and associated branding.
I have extensive experience of advising clients throughout the product lifecycle on many aspects of product design creation, protection and enforcement. This work often relates to the protection of innovative products or technologies in diverse areas such as medical devices, mechanical engineering, consumer goods, aviation, automotive and luxury goods. I frequently act in complex litigation (often with a cross border element) at the IPEC, High Court, Court of Appeal and CJEU, as well as in proceedings before the EUIPO. I also advise on customs enforcement programmes and detentions, often in collaboration with my international colleagues.
As co-head of our International Product Compliance & Liability group as well, I also advise clients on the complex regulatory testing, CE marking and labelling requirements to ensure that new products can lawfully be placed on the market.
My experience has been bolstered over the years with secondments in the commercial and regulatory team at AstraZeneca and as Senior Counsel in the trade marks group at Phillip Morris International, with responsibility for Asia Pacific.
I am editor of our design law bulletin, DesignWrites and a member of IP organisations including CITMA, INTA and AIPPI. I also serve on the Designs & Copyright Committee of CITMA.