PRACTICE AREAS
Thomas’ practice encompasses all areas in intellectual property. He has been instructed in matters involving patents and SPCs, trade marks, passing off, copyright, and confidential information in addition to commercial matters of a technical nature.
CASE EXPERIENCE
Selected cases:
Patents
AutoStore Technology v Ocado Group PLC & ors (ongoing) – automated robotic storage and retrieval technology in patent infringement and entitlement actions
Sandoz, Teva v Bristol-Myers Squibb [2022] EWHC 822 (Pat)– pharmaceutical patents action concerning the blockbuster anticoagulant apixaban
Dr Reddy’s, Actavis, NHS England & ors v Warner-Lambert, Pfizer [2021] EWHC 2182 (Ch) (ongoing) – damages inquiry emanating from long-running pregabalin litigation
Advanced Bionics v Med-El [2021] EWHC 2415 (Pat) – a successful expedition application for cochlear implant patent litigation proceeding on the Shorter Trials Scheme
Edwards Lifesciences Corp v Meril GmbH [2021] EWHC 761 (Pat) – prosthetic aortic valve medical device litigation
Akebia v Fibrogen, Astellas [2020] EWHC 866 (Pat) – multi-patent pharmaceutical action concerning the treatment of anaemia with small molecule inhibitors
Don-Bur v Fluid Power – mechanical patent dispute in IPEC concerning trailer design
Trade marks
Prime Online Ltd v Amazon Technologies, Inc (ongoing) – dispute concerning the trade name PRIME GAMING, with parallel proceedings in the IPO involving the bad faith ground
William Grant v Lidl [2021] CSOH 55 – assisted in Scottish litigation concerning the Hendrick’s gin brand
Medical devices company v Medical devices company – trade mark and passing off dispute relating to COVID-19 medical diagnostic tests
Medical devices company v Medical devices company – comparative advertising trade mark dispute concerning sutures
Various ongoing oppositions before the UKIPO
Other intellectual property rights
Songtradr v Ditto, Bluebox, Block8 – dispute concerning copyright and confidential information in blockchain software relating to music licensing, including issues of relative confidentiality and springboard injunctive relief
Selected cases observed or contributed to as a pupil:
Patents
Conversant v Huawei, ZTE – telecommunications patents action in a series of technical trials
Anan Kasei, Rhodia v Molycorp – assisted in drafting points of claim for a damages enquiry
Lufthansa v Astronics – assisted in preparing the trial skeleton in this patent action concerning plug sockets and electronic safety features
Philips v Asustek – joined telecoms appeals before the Court of Appeal
Mitsubishi v Archos, Xiaomi – jurisdictional aspects of a FRAND dispute
Trade marks and soft IP
Sky v SkyKick – assisted in preparation for the form of order hearing involving a qualified injunction
Glaxo v Sandoz – assisted in preparation for hearing before UKIPO regarding issue estoppels arising from related High Court proceedings concerning the colour purple on inhalers
Glaxo v Glenmark – trade mark and passing off dispute concerning the 3D shape mark for Glaxo’s inhalers
Duracell v Baruch – trade mark dispute concerning parallel imports and re-packaged goods
Apple v Lee – trade mark and design matter relating to counterfeit goods
Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi – appeal from EUIPO before the CJEU relating to collective marks
EDUCATION
- 2019-2020: 12-month pupillage at Three New Square to Miles Copeland, Jeremy Heald, Joe Delaney, Stuart Baran and Geoff Pritchard
- 2017-2018: BPTC at BPP Birmingham: Outstanding; 1st in cohort
- 2016-2017: GDL at BPP Birmingham: Distinction
- 2012-2016: MChem Chemistry at Lincoln College, Oxford: 1st
class. Part-II thesis in soft chemistry of solid- state crystalline compounds from the cerium oxychalcogenide series
AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS
Lord Denning and Lord Brougham scholarships, Hardwicke award, from Lincoln’s Inn
College Scholar, L H Martin prize, and Sidgwick Exhibitioner from Lincoln College, Oxford
FURTHER EXPERIENCE
In 2018-2019, Thomas worked at Carpmaels & Ransford LLP. He was involved with a pharmaceutical patents matter relating to anti-CGRP antibodies for the treatment of migraine.