IP litigation can be both technically and legally complex, and involve some of the most valuable assets of a business. It is often multi-jurisdictional, which brings additional challenges.

As a firm of specialist solicitors and intellectual property attorneys, we are able to combine the complementary skills of both professions to provide clients with a first-class and cost-effective service to resolve their patent, design, trade mark, copyright, unfair competition and other IP-related disputes (such as those involving confidential information). We are accustomed to acting for rights holders as well as alleged infringers, in relation to infringement and invalidity actions, as well as actions for declaratory relief.

European litigation expertise

Our solicitors, rechtsanwälte, patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys have extensive expertise in acting in disputes and litigation in relation to the full range of IP rights (be it patents, supplementary protection certificates, trade marks, designs, copyright or confidential information).

We handle UK cases cases in the High Court (Chancery Division), the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) and UK Intellectual Property Office.

In Germany we are experienced in representing clients in the German infringement courts in first instance and appellate proceedings, the German Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht) and the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt).

Multi-jurisdictional litigation management

We are experienced in advising clients in, and co-ordinating, multi-jurisdictional disputes involving courts in Europe, Asia and the United States. We work with and manage local advisers in the context of IP matters and have good relationships with a number of excellent firms around the world. We are also experienced in handling IP issues in an international arbitration context.

Technical experience

Our technical expertise spans all industry sectors including biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, business and finance, creative, entertainment, hospitality and media, consumer, luxury and fashion goods, electronic and electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer technology and physics.

World Trademark Review Trademark Litigation 2022: A Global Guide

The D Young & Co litigation team have written the UK chapter of the World Trademark Review "Trademark Litigation: A Global Guide 2022". The guide is a simple, easy-to-use digest of the fundamentals of litigation practice in key jurisdictions. The guide can be viewed in full using the link below.

TM litigation guide

Cases we have been involved in include

Biotechnology, chemistry & pharmaceuticals

  • Allied Colloids v American Cyanamid(polymer chemistry)
  • Arrow v Akzo Nobel/Organon (polymorphism)
  • GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals v Novartis(meningococcal vaccines)
  • Intervet v Merial (porcine circovirus 2 vaccine)
  • Lubrizol v Esso Petroleum (lubricant additives)
  • Mylan and Glenmark v The WellcomeFoundation (malaria combination therapy)
  • Omnipharm v Merial (spot-onflea treatment formulation)
  • The Procter & Gamble Companyv Lever Brothers (detergents)
  • Tercica and Genentech v Insmed(insulin-like growth factor binding protein)

Consumer, luxury & fashion goods

  • 3M v International Applications (counterfeit goods)
  • Aston Martin Lagonda v Envisage Group (breach of confidence)
  • Birds Eye v Green Isle & Northern Foods (comparative advertising)
  • GO Outdoors v Skechers (trade mark registrability)
  • McNeil v EUIPO (trade mark registrability)
  • O2 v Hutchinson 3G UK (trade mark infringement)
  • Pentland Brands v Skechers (designs, copyright and trade mark infringement)
  • Rolex v Zaffar (counterfeits)
  • Skechers v Tesco (designs and copyright infringement)
  • Unilever v Morris & Son (parallel imports)
  • WIPO Arbitration (trade mark coexistence agreement)

Creative, entertainment, hospitality & media

  • Turner Broadcasting v Boomerang TV (threats; trade mark infringement)
  • Marriott v EUIPO (trade mark registrability)
  • The Cartoon Network v EUIPO (trade mark registrability)

Electronics, engineering & IT

  • HTC v Access (Android operating system)
  • ICC Arbitration (nanotechnology licence)
  • Intel v UMC (microprocessors)
  • InterDigital v Nokia (2G & 3G)
  • Kimberly-Clark v The Procter & Gamble Company (disposable diapers)
  • LG Electronics v Access (Android operating system)
  • Philips v LG (digital image encoding)
  • Seoul Semiconductor v Everlight (light emitting diodes)
  • Sony v SSH (network address translators)
  • Tangle Teezer v GB Kent & Sons (hair brushes)
  • The Procter & Gamble Company v Peaudouce (disposable diapers)
  • Triumph Actuation Systems v Aeroquip Vickers (aircraft power transfer units)
  • Tyco v Tomy (magnetic image displays)
  • Virgin Atlantic Airways v Zodiac (aircraft seats)
  • VPG v Airweigh (vehicle weighing system)
  • Windsurfing v Tabur Marine (windsurfers)

Unified Patent Court

We have been closely involved in the development of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) such that we are intimately familiar with its framework, procedures and jurisdictional arrangements. When it comes into being, patent litigation in the Unified Patent Court will place a strong emphasis on written technical statements of case along with important evidential requirements and procedures.

We will be able to offer a broad choice and availability of representation in all divisions of the UPC and our solicitors and patent attorneys are particularly well placed to assist clients in this new European patent litigation forum.

Read more
  • Case Study

    Multi-jurisdiction litigation & EPO opposition proceedings

    Members of our team acted in complex "clear the path” revocation proceedings in the pharmaceutical and biologicals field, including co-ordinating multi-jurisdiction litigation and EPO opposition proceedings. Technologies involved included formulation, process chemistry, crystal forms, viral characterisation, vaccines and combination therapy.

  • Case Study

    Overturning 100 years of patent law before the UK Supreme Court

    Our team regularly advises on patent litigation in the electronics and mechanical engineering sector. A member of our team advised one such client, an aerospace manufacturer, in the defence of a claim for patent infringement. The case culminated before the Supreme Court, where the manufacturer was successful in overturning 100 years of patent law.

  • Case Study

    Representing clients at the UK Intellectual Property Enterprise Court

    Members of our team have represented many claimants and defendants before the IPEC. Examples of clients members of our team have advised before the court are: an SME in firefighting technology seeking a declaration of non-infringement and invalidity in relation to a patent for water abrasive cutting tools; an SME in relation to its defence of a claim for design right infringement in relation to furniture; an SME defending a claim for passing off in relation to a website; a manufacturer and designer of on-board payload control and overload protection systems for commercial vehicles and aircraft in relation to a patent infringement and revocation action; issuing proceedings against defendants who had imported counterfeit watches into the UK; and defending a Swiss conglomerate in relation to an allegation of patent infringement for a plastic enclosure.

  • Case Study

    Patent litigation at the German Federal Patent Court & German Federal Supreme Court

    We successfully defended a patentee and medical device maker against a revocation action at the Bundespatentgericht (German Federal Patent Court) and the Bundesgerichsthof (German Federal Supreme Court), leading to a decision further developing the law with respect to added matter regarding German patents.

TM Litigation Guide World TM Review
TM Litigation Guide World TM Review
Explains situation in plain English, lots of experience, friendly.
Legal 500
Brand owners come not only for matters of domestic consequence, but also for its dexterous coordination of multi-jurisdictional disputes in Europe.
World Trademark Review 1000
The practice covers all key IP areas and manages to provide comprehensive and in-depth legal advice which is tailored to the client’s needs and preferences. The legal analysis is top-notch while still managing to remain pragmatic and business oriented.
Legal 500
Tamsin Holman and Anna Reid assist us in trade mark and design matters. They are among the best we have dealt with in the UK. Always approachable and friendly with a clear focus also on the commercial side of the matter.
Legal 500
Reliably outstanding performance.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young & Co offers clients a full IP law service, hosting solicitors as well as patent and trade mark attorneys, and it is the first firm to acquire legal disciplinary status (LDP).
Chambers
Recommended for contentious proceedings, and also has patent litigation solicitors in-house.
Chambers
The group impresses with its powerful UK and European opposition and appeal practice and complementary litigation offering.
It is a very reliable resource, with great strength in depth on both prosecution and litigation, and the level of its service is simply excellent.
World Trademark Review 1000
It is now seven years since D Young & Co established its litigation practice and given its fabulous list of clients, it is not surprising that it has been a successful endeavour thus far.
World Trademark Review 1000
The group's clients benefit from the combined attorney and solicitor teams and increasingly instruct the practice for contentious matters, in particular opposition proceedings before the UKIPO, including appeals before the Appointed Person, the EUIPO and the German trade mark and patent office.
Legal 500
Recommended for 'superb service and excellent value for money' in IP litigation, IP firm D Young & Co LLP attracts praise for its 'industry knowledge' and 'friendly, down-to-earth, yet very professional nature'.
Legal 500
Home to a flourishing disputes practice and as such represents one of the more successful marriages between filing and litigation.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young & Co’s killer USP is its seamless integration of trademark attorney and legal teams; clients can one-stop shop here with supreme confidence.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young’s contentious arm has been going from strength to strength, and now provides the perfect opportunity for prosecution clients to consolidate their work into one neat package.
IAM Patent 1000
The litigation and prosecution practices dovetail neatly, giving clients the benefit of joined-up thinking on every question.
World Trademark Review 1000
The team recorded a number of wins in 2016 for well-known brands in proceedings before the UK IPO and EUIPO.
IP Stars (Managing IP)
The trailblazing move [to recruit solicitors] has equipped the firm to provide persuasive one-stop service to a cadre of prestigious household name.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young & Co succeeds in delivering high-quality, cost-effective prosecution and litigation, while maintaining an attentive and responsive client service.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young & Co’s killer USP is its seamless integration of trademark attorney and legal teams.
World Trademark Review 1000
D Young & Co’s trade mark team is highly pragmatic – they balance genuine commercial understanding with impeccable knowledge of the law. Their advice is always direct, to the point and well judged.
Legal 500
We work and have worked closely in particular with Tamsin Holman and Anna Reid. They stand out because of their very personal touch in handling matters.
Legal 500
They are exceptionally effective and will surpass your expectations.
IP Stars (Managing IP)
The team members are highly responsive, very professional, very knowledgeable while being nice and fun people to work with. They know their clients and their preferences and manage to provide tailored advice every time around.
Legal 500
The team has a high-quality, proactive and client-friendly approach.
Legal 500
Few firms are as well equipped as this one to handle complex and multifaceted brand-related issues.
World Trademark Review 1000
Bold advocacy in support of our company's interests, with a finely honed sense of what is achievable in the real world.
World Trademark Review 1000
They are very responsive and efficient and understand clients’ needs well. They give us access to efficient collaborative tools which make it easier to handle international cases.
Legal 500
Its contentious and prosecution practices operate seamlessly and have been successful for years.
IP Stars (Managing IP)

Meet the team

Partners

Anthony Albutt
Anthony Albutt
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Anton Baker
Anton Baker
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Jana Bogatz
Jana Bogatz
Partner, Rechtsanwältin
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Zöe Clyde-Watson
Zöe Clyde-Watson
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Kirk Gallagher
Kirk Gallagher
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Tamsin Holman
Tamsin Holman
Partner, Solicitor
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Jonathan Jackson
Jonathan Jackson
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Neil Nachshen
Neil Nachshen
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Simon O'Brien
Simon O'Brien
Partner, Patent Attorney
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Jeremy Pennant
Jeremy Pennant
Partner, Trade Mark Attorney
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Anna Reid
Anna Reid
Partner, Solicitor
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Senior Associates

Andrew Cockerell
Andrew Cockerell
Senior Associate, Patent Attorney
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Yvonne Stone
Yvonne Stone
Senior Associate, Rechtsanwältin
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Associates

Nigel Lee
Nigel Lee
Associate, Patent Attorney
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Assistants

Kamila Geremek
Kamila Geremek
Senior Legal Manager
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Sophia Karim
Sophia Karim
Legal Assistant
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Agnieszka Stephenson
Agnieszka Stephenson
Senior Legal Manager
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Consultants

Ian Starr
Ian Starr
Consultant, Solicitor
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Richard Willoughby
Richard Willoughby
Consultant, Solicitor
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