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Paul Harris is partner in Gowlings’ London office, practising in intellectual property law.
With over 20 years of experience in intellectual property cases, Paul has worked in contentious matters relating to patents, covering a wide variety of technologies including complex chemical cases, electronics and mechanical patents. In particular, Paul has dealt with infringement actions such as Black & Decker -v- Flymo, and the Amgen Patent litigation concerning erythropoietin. He also successfully defended Black & Decker in an action brought by Electrolux, the outcome of which lead to the Patents Court guidelines on experiments and expert’s reports.
Paul also litigates in relation to trade-mark and passing off matters, and has been involved in a number of interlocutory applications (for both plaintiffs and defendants). He handled the renowned Wagamama case which raised issues of the impact of Benelux law on the UK Trade Mark Act 1994 and ultimately to the approach to be taken under s. 10(2) of that Act.
Paul is also known for his confidential information practice and handled the Dyson v Strutt litigation, relating to misuse of confidential information, and the same litigation on important issues of costs. More recently, he handled the First Conference v Bracchi case, which included executing a search and seizure order.
Paul has been instrumental in the negotiation and preparation of international licensing arrangements for patents, and also been involved in many non-contentious dealings including in relation to sales and licensing of businesses, preparation of multi-national licensing and cross-licensing arrangements, as well as overseeing programmes for the registration of trademarks in many overseas jurisdictions.
Furthermore, Paul deals with the copyright and design right field, and has acted for a management buy-out team in relation to computer software and computer hardware.
- SCHRIEBER TM – trade mark opposition before UKIPO, May 2009
- Yellow and Black trade mark applications – Court of First Instance, December 2006
- Dyson Technology Ltd v. Strutt – misuse of confidential information/restrictive covenant, November 2005
- Philips v. Salton (part 20 claim v. Electrical & Electronic Ltd) – software in respect of coffee makers – this case has now become the leading authority on what constitutes “authorisation” of one entity by another to instigate infringement, July 2004
- Yellow and Black trade mark application in name of Black & Decker – appeal from TM Registry, 2004
- Black & Decker v. ALM Manufacturing - Lawn edge trimmer technology, 2003
- Amey Vectra Ltd. v. Vectra N. Jones and others – misuse of confidential information, 2002
- G.N.C. trade mark application Vitality, 2000
- E.R.A. Technology v. A.E.A. Technology – breach of fiduciary duty, copyright infringement, malicious falsehood, 1998
- Boston Scientific v. Johnson & Johnson - stents (cardiography technology), 1997
- Route 66 & Device in name of Andre and Mairade Levy - Trade mark Opposition, 1997
- Electrolux Northern v. Black & Decker - lawnmowers (suck and hover), 1996
- Wagamama Ltd v. City Centre Restaurants plc, 1995
- Coloplast v. Mentor (CA) - service out of jurisdiction, 1994
- Mentor v. Coloplast - male incontinence devices, 1993
- INADINE trade mark – for Johnson & Johnson, 1991
- Black & Decker v. Flymo – Lawnmowers, 1990
Paul has lectured on both patents and trade-marks, as well as confidential information. He is well-known internationally and has been invited to speak at international conferences as far afield as Bulgaria and Egypt. He also teaches on the Intellectual Property Diploma Course at the University of Oxford. He has written many articles over the years on both patents and trade-mark issues. |
