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CASES

& EXPERIENCE

  • Appointed counsel to the LEGO Group in New Zealand, responsible for handling the Group’s intellectual property rights portfolio and associated enforcement.

 

  • Acting for the LEGO Group in High Court proceedings against ZURU for ZURU’s use of the LEGO mark on its construction toy products (with Andrew Brown QC and Kevin Glover).

 

  • Acting for Renault S.A.S. in High Court proceedings appealing against revocation of trade mark (sole counsel).

 

  • Acting for the LEGO Group to identify, locate and seize counterfeit products, including drafting High Court proceedings for without notice interim orders (with Andrew Brown QC).

 

  • Acting for Manuka Doctor before IPONZ in trade mark opposition proceedings (sole counsel).

 

  • Acting for a construction company in High Court proceedings in dispute with an architect over copyright allegedly subsisting in building and resource consents and plans (led by John Katz QC).

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  • Acting for Bed Bath & Beyond in proceedings brought against Bed Bath N' Table for trade mark infringement and invalidity, passing off and breach of the Fair Trading Act (led by Kevin Glover).

 

  • Successfully defended copyright infringement proceedings against a strike-out application in the High Court (Burden v ESR Group (NZ) Ltd [2019] NZHC 1546) and successful appeal to the Court of Appeal (Burden v ESR Group (NZ) Ltd [2020] NZCA 560) permitting amendment of pleadings to include new allegations of infringement post-liability hearing (led by Andrew Brown QC).

 

  • Acted for Scapegrace Distillery Co, New Zealand's best-selling New Zealand-made gin, against a new gin market entrant for alleged passing off and breach of the Fair Trading Act 1986 (led by Andrew Brown QC).

 

  • Acted for Apple Inc in trade mark opposition proceedings before IPONZ over the trade mark IWATCH (Apple Inc v Swatch AG [2019] NZIPOTM 30) (led by Andrew Brown QC).

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  • Acted for Recorded Music, the New Zealand sound recording licensing body, in a two-day mediation with New Zealand radio stations over the payable rate for music on radio (with Andrew Brown QC). ​

IP RIGHTS LITIGATION

CASES IP RIGHTS

COMMERCIAL

LITIGATION

  • Assisting Hong Kong Queen’s Counsel considering seeking urgent freezing orders over New Zealand property for the purpose of preserving assets at issue in Hong Kong proceedings. 

 

  • Acting for a foreign businessman in dispute with a former partner before the High Court including allegations of fraud, bribery and forgery (sole counsel). 

 

  • Acting for a former major shareholder of an online cloud storage platform in High Court proceedings alleging breach of directors’ duties and shareholder oppression (led by Simon Cogan).

 

  • Acting for a cryptocurrency payments service company in dispute with its former lawyers over payment of alleged legal fees, including applying to the Court to set aside default judgment, and successfully disputing two statutory demands (sole counsel). 

 

  • Acting for a forestry company in dispute with a contractor over an agreement to produce carbon credits, involving allegations of duress (led by Simon Cogan). 

CASES LITIGATION

  • Acting for a lawyer before the Standards Committee and Disciplinary Tribunal in relation to statements made about the COVID-19 pandemic (led by Ron Mansfield QC).

 

  • Acting for four defendants in Operation Emery, the Waikeria prison riot prosecution (led by Ron Mansfield QC). 

 

  • Acting for two directors of a company alleged to have breached housing regulations in proceedings brought under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 (led by Ron Mansfield QC).

 

  • Acting in appeals before the Court of Appeal as to conviction and sentence (led by Ron Mansfield QC). ​​ 

 

  • Acted for Siuaki Lisiate at his sentencing for murder, successfully resisted a sentence of life in prison without parole (led by Ron Mansfield QC).

 

  • Acted for Mark Lundy in his appeal against conviction before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (led by Jonathan Eaton QC).

 

  • Counsel for an interested party in the Christchurch Masjid attacks coronial process.

CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS, DISCIPLINARY & INQUIRIES

CRIMINAL LITIGATION
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