Claire has extensive experience advising on contentious and non-contentious matters involving the protection and exploitation of intellectual property. Her deep knowledge of intellectual property and commercial law enables her to advise on the optimisation of clients’ positions across multiple industry sectors, in particular technology and brands.
Claire has represented numerous clients in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, English High Court, Court of Appeal and the Court of Justice of the European Union. She also has extensive knowledge and experience of litigation in the US Courts, from the District Court up to the Supreme Court. Claire has also represented many clients in successful mediations, many of which have concerned failed technology projects.
Outside of the courtroom Claire is highly experienced in advising companies of all sizes on the franchising and licensing of their intellectual property including copyright, particularly in computer software, pharmaceutical patents and know-how and brand trademarks.
Expertise
- Complex commercial litigation
- Intellectual property disputes
- Advising technology companies in respect of their intellectual property and commercial needs
- Franchising and licensing of intellectual property
- Copyright
- Designs
- Insurance
Experience
- Co-lead advisor for World Programming Limited in high-profile, ground-breaking proceedings against SAS Institute Inc. both in England and in the US. The underlying proceedings led to the leading English judgment on the scope of copyright protection of software and included a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The proceedings have also resulted in a significant judgment concerning conflict of laws and the enforceability of US judgments in England.
- Regularly advises Synairgen plc and Synairgen Research Limited which specialises in the development of treatments for respiratory illnesses, in respect of its intellectual property, including licensing and collaboration agreements.
- Advised a technology company in respect of its alleged failure to deliver a technology project. The case culminated in a successful mediation.
- Advised an insurer and its insured client in respect of an allegation of copyright infringement of training materials, the substance of which had been used for in-house training purposes. The matter culminated in a successful mediation.
- Successfully settled a design law dispute between a high street brand and a high-end shoe retailer.
- International licensing for a major lingerie brand.
- International franchising for a luxury shoe brand.
- Advised a tobacco company in respect of plain packaging regulations.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 (2022-2023) for Intellectual Property: Patents (Contentious and Non-Contentious)
Recognised by The Legal 500 2023 for Intellectual Property: Trade Marks, Copyright and Design
Recommended lawyer for Intellectual Property (The Legal 500 2017)
Career
Claire qualified as a solicitor in 2008. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2019, she worked at the following firms:
- Brown Rudnick
- Speechly Bircham
- Slaughter & May