Patricia is a highly experienced brand protection lawyer, specialising in the strategic growth, management, and exploitation of trade mark and design portfolios. She works with clients across a variety of sectors, including technology & telecommunications, retail, sports, food & beverage, and education.
Patricia’s experience includes handling clearance work, disputes, and contentious proceedings. She has represented a range of clients at hearings before the UKIPO and the Appointed Person.
In her practice, Patricia not only focuses on traditional branding but also assists clients in safeguarding the design of innovative products and packaging, as well as other key brand elements such as colours, sounds, and moving images.
Her expertise also encompasses certification marks, geographical indications, domain name disputes, customs recordals & seizures, company name disputes, and copyright.
Patricia is co-author of the book The European Union Trade Mark: A Practical Guide, and Co-editor of the CITMA & CIPA Community Designs Handbook
Expertise
- Trade mark
- Design clearance
- Design protection
- Portfolio management
- Design disputes
- Clearance searches
- Protection strategies
Experience
Trade Mark & Design Clearance
- Carried out an extensive trade mark and design clearance project for a UK-based insurance company in advance of the Christmas Day launch of a high-profile advertising campaign featuring a new range of characters.
- Provided freedom to operate (FOT) advice to a multinational pharma and biotech company in relation to inhaler products.
- Handled multiple trade mark clearance search projects for a major UK retail and commercial bank in advance of the launches of new products, branding and offerings.
Trade Mark & Design Protection and Portfolio Management
- Carried out an international portfolio audit project for a luxury shoe manufacturer, identifying gaps in their protection and developing a filing strategy to plug these gaps.
- Developed and implemented a multi-jurisdictional design protection strategy for the protection of an airline seating configuration for a major international airline.
- Handled trade mark filing work for a major multinational household appliances company.
Trade Mark & Design Disputes
- Advised on and co-ordinated a range of dispute proceedings for a UK-based mattress company as they sought to expand internationally.
- Successfully defended an invalidity action brought against an EU design for a fence post, that was at the centre of a dispute relating to a major contract for security fencing.
- Successfully represented a financial services company at both the UKIPO and the Appointed Person in relation to a number of related trade mark opposition proceedings.
Telecoms & Technology
- Handled filing, dispute and advisory work for one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of household appliances, and provided training to their internal team on various IP issues.
- Assisted one of the world’s best-known and largest technology companies in obtaining trade mark protection for some of their key brand elements, including obtaining protection based on “overnight” acquired distinctiveness.
- Handled the UK trade mark clearance and filing work for a major tobacco company as they transitioned to become a technology company.
- Worked with one of the UK’s main mobile phone operators, handling trade mark clearance, filing, and dispute matters, as well as domain name dispute matters.
- Advised a non-profit trade association that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide on various trade mark and design protection issues, including issues relating to their flagship annual conference.
Sports
- Assisted one of the world’s largest marathons with various trade mark dispute matters.
- Carried out a full portfolio review and audit for the national governing body of a major sport in advance of a major international tournament being hosted in their home country.
- Advised the International Paralympic Committee on brand protection issues.
- Assisted UK Anti-Doping with protection for key brand elements following a brand refresh and introduction of new initiatives.
- Advised the Lawn Tennis Association in relation to various trade mark matters, including devising and implementing a protection strategy for various brand elements.
Education
- Assisted a UK university with their trade mark protection work, to include advice in relation to post-Brexit issues.
- Handled the international trade mark portfolio of a public research university based in London, to include a major bad faith opposition brought against a former student and advice on trade mark protection issues as they merged with another entity.
- Handled the trade mark portfolio of a UK public school, to include helping them secure appropriate protection in other territories as they expanded overseas via a franchise model.
- Advised a UK-based stage school on trade mark and design protection issues, to include developing a multi-stage protection programme rolled out over a number of years.
- Worked with a large general further education college based in London on matters relating to the protection of their name.
Retail
- Carried out an international portfolio audit project for a luxury shoe manufacturer, identifying gaps in their protection and developed a filing strategy to plug these gaps.
- Handled the global trade mark portfolio of a luxury jewellery brand, to include development and implementation of several international filing projects, as well as advising on numerous trade mark dispute matters around the world.
- Handled the global trade mark portfolio of a global fashion brand based in the UK, to include providing clearance advice on new brands and advising on strategy for future protection for the client’s core brand.
- Advised a high-end UK brand on design protection issues for various new handbag designs.
- Handled the global trade mark portfolio of a UK-based manufacturer and retailer of mattresses, to include assisting with trade mark disputes in a number of territories around the world.
Life Sciences
- Provided freedom to operate advice to a multinational pharma and biotech company in relation to inhaler products.
- Carried out a number of UK trade mark clearance search projects and associated filing work for a US healthcare company focused on glucose monitoring.
- Advised a start-up diagnostics company spun out from a university on trade mark and design protection matters for a medical device.
- Handled international design protection strategy and filing work for a global medical products and technologies company focused on the management of chronic conditions.
- Handled the UK portion of an international trade mark dispute between a medical devices company and a technology company.
Food & Beverage
- Helped one of the world’s best-known fast-food restaurant chains obtain protection for various product names in the UK.
- Handled the global trade mark and designs portfolio of a major frozen food brand.
- Advised a rapidly growing plant-based food manufacturer on various issues relating to protection of their disruptive brand.
- Advised a US-based fast-food chain on various trade mark law matters as they sought to expand into the UK and EU.
- Assisted a US-based international chain of restaurants in relation to various brand infringement issues in the UK and Ireland.
Recognition
Recognised by the Legal 500 for PATMA: Trade Mark Attorneys in 2012, 2017–2025
Recognised by the World Trademark Review 1000 for Trade Mark Prosecution & Strategy 2018–2025
Recognised by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) IP Stars as a Notable Practitioner 2021–2025
Recognised by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) IP Stars as a Rising IP Star 2018–2020
Recommended in Lexology Index: Leading Trade Marks Practitioner 2014–2025
“Patricia Collis is as capable of steering global brand strategy as she is
fighting fiercely in opposition and cancellation proceedings.” WTR 1000, 2025
“Patricia Collis is professionally sound with a pragmatic approach. She has a very pleasant manner and a very fast response rate.” The Legal 500 2025
Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA)
Member of the International Trade mark Association (INTA)
Member of the European Communities Trademark Association (ECTA)
Career
Patricia qualified as a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in 2011. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2025, she worked at the following firms:
- DLA Piper
- Bird & Bird
- Bristows