Piers Acland KC
‘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.’
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.
L’éditorial du Legal 500
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Témoignages
Collectés indépendamment par l'équipe de recherche du Legal 500.
- '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.'
Avocats
Leading silks
Iain Purvis KC
‘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.’
Michael Silverleaf KC
'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.'
Mark Vanhegan KC
‘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.'
Hugo Cuddigan KC
‘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.’
Brian Nicholson KC
‘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.'
Meilleurs Juniors
Chris Aikens
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.’
Tom Alkin
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.'
David Ivison
Adam Gamsa
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.'
Christopher Hall
‘Christopher is intelligent, hard working and very impressive on his feet. He comfortably goes toe-to-toe with the leading silks.’
Heather Lawrence
'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.'
Rising stars
Jeunes avocats collaborateurs ou counsels qui se distinguent régulièrement par leur présence dans des dossiers importants du marché, et qui sont identifiés par le marché comme de jeunes talents à suivre.
Mitchell Beebe
Mitchell has a great, can-do attitude and his prior experience as a solicitor means he has a good understanding of the work needed to support a case to trial.'
Edward Cronan
'Edward is an excellent junior with a deep understanding of patent law. He is not afraid, in a constructive and appropriate way, to challenge those more senior so that the very best case is presented.'
Kyra Nezami
'Kyra is outstanding and couldn't be recommend more highly. She is technically excellent and thorough with an excellent memory for details, her calm but robust manner always gives you confidence in court, and she is personable and approachable, which makes her easy to work with.'