Iain Purvis QC
Iain has a broad ranging practice across the field of intellectual property, and has appeared in every relevant tribunal from the House of Lords to the European Patent Office. He was appointed QC in the first round of appointments under the new system in 2006. By that time he was regularly acting as lead advocate in substantial trials. Iain has extensive experience in arbitration proceedings, both as advocate and arbitrator, and is a qualified mediator. Iain has also recently been appointed by the Lord Chancellor to act as an ‘Appointed Person’, hearing appeals from the Trade Marks Registry.

In the last couple of years, Iain has acted in a series of high profile cases in all aspects of IP. These have included:

• Appearing for Matthew Fisher in all stages of the battle for recognition of his rights as a joint author of the copyright of “Whiter Shade of Pale”, culminating with victory on the last day of sitting of the House of Lords in July 2009
• Obtaining the first ever award of inventor’s compensation under s40 of the Patents Act in Kelly v GE
• Two important trade mark cases: successfully defending Kenwood in the "shape mark" case alleging undue similarity between its kMix food mixer and the Kitchen Aid mixer, both at trial and in the Court of Appeal – Whirlpool v Kenwood; obtaining judgment for infringement of Community Trade Mark and passing off on behalf of the famous Hotel Cipriani of Venice against the Cipriani restaurant in Mayfair (presently under appeal)
• Revoking the Aerotel patent for telephone systems, confirmed on appeal (Wavecrest v Aerotel)
• The first inquiry under a cross-undertaking in a pharmaceutical patent case, Servier v Apotex, presently under appeal
• Overturning the decisions of the Patent Office and High Court in the Court of Appeal to obtain the first paediatric extension to a Supplementary Protection Certificate (for the pharmaceutical losartan in the case of EI Du Pont v UKIPO.

He has also had the unusual experience of a trial before the Supreme Court of Gibraltar involving breach of confidence and has been instructed in a number of the mobile phone cases which have recently been occupying much of the time of the Patents Court.”

Called: 1986
Took silk: 2006

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