Mark is an experienced intellectual property, media and IT lawyer, qualified in England and Wales.
He advises clients of all sizes – from sole traders to listed companies – in a diverse range of industries, including fashion, asset management, high street and online retail, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, virtual reality, computer games, traditional and online publishing, perfumery and homewares.
Mark also advises a national charity on a pro bono basis and, outside of his practice with Artington, provides legal advice to members of the Institute of Directors through its Advisory Service.
Practice Areas
Mark’s legal experience includes:
- advising on worldwide trade mark, design and domain name clearance, filing, prosecution and management, including acting for clients in opposition/cancellation proceedings and domain name disputes;
- drafting and negotiating IT agreements. For example, software development, hosting and support agreements, SaaS T’s & C’s and end-user licences;
- drafting and negotiating agreements relating to intellectual property – assignments, licences etc.
- conducting intellectual property due diligence;
- advising on data protection compliance, including preparing privacy policies, legitimate interests assessments etc.
- drafting and negotiating general commercial agreements, such as franchise agreements, agency and distribution agreements, terms and conditions of sale/purchase, freelancer agreements;
- drafting and negotiating media agreements, including releases and sponsorship, actors’, composers’ and location agreements.
Experience
Recent examples of how Mark has helped clients include:
- advising a hedge fund on international trade mark clearance and filing strategy;
- recovering several domain names on behalf of a homewares brand in a complex case of cybersquatting;
- preparing B2C terms and conditions for a bridal boutique;
- representing a footwear brand in opposition proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Office;
- advising a bar chain on the data protection aspects of its new, technology-enhanced experiences;
- representing a client before the EU Intellectual Property Office in design invalidity proceedings and in the subsequent appeal;
- working with local associates to invalidate a Chinese trade mark filed in bad faith so that the client could register and freely use their trade mark in China;
- providing an opinion to an Australian client on the likelihood of successfully registering their trade mark in the UK;
- representing a client before the EU Intellectual Property Office in trade mark revocation proceedings and in the subsequent appeal;
- advising a virtual reality start-up on various issues (for example, data protection, software development, video production, copyright ownership and licensing, trade mark filing strategy);
- defending a client in a passing-off claim before the UK Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
Publications
International Visual Communication Association’s Guide to Media Law
Education
LLB (University of Sheffield & Radboud University Nijmegen)
LLM in International Business Law (University of Liverpool)
PgDip in Legal Practice (Liverpool John Moores University)
Personal
Mark enjoys reading, walking and skiing.
