Intellectual property

11 South Square

The members of 11 South Square are sought after by high-profile clients to represent them in intellectual property litigation before all levels of the UK court system, in addition to European fora. The set boasts a large volume of silks in its ranks, including Iain Purvis KC, who handles cases surrounding both patents and trade marks. Of recent note, Purvis KC acted for Tesco in a trade mark infringement case brought by Lidl surrounding the introduction of a new advertising campaign to promote Tesco Clubcard, at issue was the use of a yellow circle on a blue background. Michael Silverleaf KC is strong in cases that require knowledge of technical areas, including monoclonal antibodies, medical devices, and drug delivery systems, as well as wind power generation, automotive catalysts, and shipbuilding. With a scientific background, Mark Vanhegan KC has appeared before the Supreme Court in cases concerning intricate technology, and Piers Acland KC is well known for his pharmaceutical patent work, which is exemplified by his representation of Moderna in a patent trial against Biontech and Pfizer surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine. Anna Edwards-Stuart KC made silk in the 2024 round, and Edward Cronan joined the set from Hogarth Chambers, bringing particular expertise in the patent litigation space.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Sam Fullilove is an excellent clerk.'
'Ashley Carr is very strong; you definitely want him on your side!'
'The clerks are very helpful, in particular Ashley Carr, who will always be most accommodating and helpful when needed.'
'Ashley Carr, Sam Fullilove and Harry Eades are responsive and helpful. Ashley in particular provides strategic advice on listing issues.'
'Harry Eades is particularly responsive and pleased to assist whatever the query, whether its obtaining costs estimates from counsel or arranging lunch for the team during trial.'
'The clerks' room is excellent, Ashley Carr is particularly highly rated.'
'The clerks are friendly and always willing to help. They answer the phone promptly and always seem to know what's going on. Sam Fullilove and Boudi Iffland are both brilliant.'

Silks

Leading Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

Mark Vanhegan KC

11 South Square

‘Mark is versatile, hard working, and he has a collaborative approach, which is greatly appreciated. His advocacy is particularly strong in submissions and he is capable of changing judges' minds, which means he is always on the shortlist for a new case.'

Michael Silverleaf KC

11 South Square

'Michael is a persuasive advocate with a mastery of intellectual property law. He is great at presenting his argument on even the most complex of points in a straightforward way that is judge friendly, he is extremely clever, thorough, and hardworking in his preparation, and his cross-examination is formidable.'

Iain Purvis KC

11 South Square

‘Iain is very big on wisdom and judgement, on both the law and how a court will respond to different arguments, and his ultra-calm demeanour is appreciated by courts, clients and solicitors alike. His advocacy is highly effective.’

Piers Acland KC

11 South Square

‘Piers is a phenomenal advocate and one of the best cross-examiners at the IP Bar. He is forensic, tenacious and incisive, and there’s nothing that slips past his turbocharged analytical brain.’

Brian Nicholson KC

11 South Square

‘Brian is outstanding in all respects. An exceptional advocate with mastery of highly complex technical subject matter, phenomenal strategic insight and great to work with all round, he is masterful in cross-examination and oral submissions in High Court litigation.'

Hugo Cuddigan KC

11 South Square

‘Hugo is a first pick KC for almost any IP matter. He has a first-rate strategic legal mind, he is one of the most effective advocates at the IP Bar, and he is supremely efficient and clear in both his written and oral submissions, and knows how to read and work a court room.’

Benet Brandreth KC

11 South Square

‘Benet is an extraordinary barrister. He prepares carefully and precisely, his analysis is highly forensic and he is an extremely eloquent advocate, capable of unpacking complex arguments and explaining them compellingly.'

2024 Silks

Anna Edwards-Stuart KC

11 South Square

'Anna quickly gets to grips with the issues, gives very clear and consistent advice throughout, and her advice is confirmed by the judgment following the trial. Anna quickly gains the client's confidence by providing clear advice at meetings with our client throughout, and she is particularly strong in advising in person.'

Juniors

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

Kathryn Pickard

11 South Square

‘Kathryn is razor-sharp, both in her oral advocacy and written work. Those who have worked with her attest to her range of abilities, as she has a great work ethic, turns around work product expeditiously, is unafraid of running novel points, has superb drafting, and is also great on her feet.'

‘Tom is an absolute pleasure to work with. He has great judgement on which points to run and how best to frame them, he is a very strong advocate, and he is also an excellent team player.'

Chris Aikens

11 South Square

‘Chris is outstanding on his feet and his written work is excellent. He is a barrister you can really trust and has the judgement of Solomon.’

Adam Gamsa

11 South Square

‘Adam has a good overview of the strategic battlegrounds of the case and is always available to give a view on decision points throughout the case. His oral advocacy is thoughtful, structured, and tailored to the panel.'

Heather Lawrence

11 South Square

'Heather's strengths include the thoroughness of her preparation, the ability to make the right tactical decisions, her quiet and understated advocacy that is nevertheless highly effective, an understanding of scientific and technological matters, particularly chemistry, her drafting skills applied to the preparation of pleadings, and her willingness and ability to work with her instructing solicitors as a team.'

Christopher Hall

11 South Square

‘Christopher is intelligent, hard working and very impressive on his feet. He comfortably goes toe-to-toe with the leading silks.’

Jacqueline Reid

11 South Square

‘Jacqueline is direct and ferocious, and someone whom you would always want in your corner. She can be very straight talking, which clients appreciate.'

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.