Brandsmiths’ specialist IP team in Manchester is particularly well regarded for its IP litigation experience, acting for a varied range of brands and household names in claims up to the Supreme Court. Michael Forrester leads the practice and is actively involved in disputes relating to registered and unregistered designs, trade marks and passing off. Experienced IP litigators Andrew Lee and John Battersby are also noted, along with football industry specialist Tom Keane and Jacob O’Brien, who regularly acts for technology companies. Claire Meyers joined the team in 2022, adding to the firm’s litigation expertise.

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Key clients

  • Lifestyle Equities CV
  • Iconix Brand Group (Umbro, Lee Cooper, Starter etc)
  • RW Invest North Ltd
  • TickX
  • Everton FC
  • Beyond Corporate / Beyond Group
  • Night Addict / Whispering Smith
  • SpectrumX Healthcare

Work highlights

  • Representing Beverly Hills Polo Club in a claim involving key issues of director’s personal liability for intellectual property infringement.
  • Acting for Beverly Hills Polo Club in the Court of Appeal against Amazon in a claim targeting on online advertisements, especially in the way done by the Amazon platform.
  • Representing Iconix in a key trade mark case relating to the Umbro diamond.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Michael Forrester

Other key lawyers

Andrew Lee, John Battersby, Tom Keane, Jacob O’Brien, Claire Meyers