Nick is one of the leading figures in the UK IP world and has practised in all areas of IP since 1988. In addition to extensive experience as a solicitor handling all kind of IP disputes, Nick has written many articles, reviewed books, drafted Government legislation and lectured extensively in the past on IP issues. He is also frequent speaker at seminars and is currently authoring a book on the Copyright Tribunal.
Nick is a partner in the TMT group handling all kinds of IP disputes but with a particular expertise on disputes in the music, book publishing, collecting society, design and fashion world. His clients range from national Governments to established pop stars, from leading broadcasters to local choirs, from major collecting societies to international media networks. Nick particularly relishes the challenge of taking on what are regarded by others as “unwinnable” cases and is regularly instructed on this basis.
Prior to joining DMH Stalllard in September 2008 Nick was Head of Litigation at the MCPS-PRS Music Alliance and managed the music industry anti-piracy unit for ten years. He is very well known for leading the music industry in its fight against music piracy at a particularly difficult time. Nick pioneered the use of private prosecutions of copyright infringers for the music industry and he continues to use the criminal courts to prosecute itinerant and systematic IP infringers across a number of industries and sectors.
Nick is well known also for his lobbying work and has advised the UK Government and the EU Commission on IP issues. He helped set up the cross industry Alliance against Intellectual Property Theft and was its vice Chairman. He has also sat on the UK Government IP Crime Group and was Secretary of the Joint Action Group between industry and the Association of Chied Police Officers to address IP Crime. Nick drafted the legislation that eventually was implemented in law as the Copyright and Trade Mark (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002, and has for many years lobbied all over Europe on behalf of many industries for changes to copyright, trade mark and designs laws.
Nick national reputation has been recognised by many industry sectors. Nick is currently a Board Director of the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST), Chief Legal Counsel to Anti-Copying in Design (ACID) and its representative at the legal group meetings of the Alliance against IP Theft. Nick is also a former director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, a former Chair of its enforcement sub-committee and a former director of the Copyright Hotline. He was for many year the Chairman of anti-piracy committee of the international music collecting society association BIEM’s and in that role co-ordinated and helped shaped anti-piracy initiatives internationally especially in the online environment.
Nick is also a fully accredited mediator and has conducted several mediations.
