About
Recognised as a “leading partner” by Legal 500, Robert is an acknowledged expert in patent litigation with an extensive experience of, and significant success in, leading highly complex patent infringement and validity disputes before the Patents Court and Court of Appeal. This includes as part of wider, multi-national, disputes. His practice also regularly involves complex jurisdictional issues and FRAND / RAND licensing issues.
Appearing in IAM’s Patent 1000 since 2016, feedback includes that “He is a litigator of the highest calibre with the rare balance of advocacy skill, pragmatism and technical aptitude. Robert is very hardworking, conscientious and dynamic – it is clear to see how he has won so many complex cases.”
Alongside his law degree, Robert has an MSci in chemistry and a PhD in chemistry/chemical physics, and before coming to law Robert was a research fellow at the University of Lund in Sweden working on renewable energies investigating electron dynamics in dye sensitized solar cells.
Flowing from his initial training in one of the leading IP sets (prior to later re-qualifying to practice as a solicitor) his practice embraces all aspects of IP litigation and prior to more recently focusing on patent litigation, Robert was also ranked in WTR Trademark 1000 commended for his "clear and concise advice and accurate risk assessments" and was noted as "a star of the future".
Robert is currently ranked / recommended for his contentious patent work by WIPR, Juve, IAM Patent 1000, IP Stars and Legal 500. His litigation experience includes large high profile cases including matters ranked in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2019 and 2025 and matters awarded Managing IP’s impact case of the year (EMEA) in 2021 and 2023.
Robert is admitted to practice as a solicitor in England & Wales.
Experience
- Significant experience in patent disputes across a broad spectrum of technologies and sectors such as: streaming and video codecs (Alcatel v Amazon); data centres, data processing and AI (ThroughPuter v Microsoft); telecommunications (multiple FRAND cases); LED devices (Solas OLED v Samsung); imaging and medical devices (Align Technologies v ClearCorrect); user interfaces, user experience, Bluetooth and audio routing (Conversant v Apple); mobile device management (Good Technology v AirWatch & MobileIron); SPCs and the SPC Regulation (Kirin Amgen v Lieuuvos Respublikos valastybinis patent biuras); contact lenses (Novartis A.G. v Johnson & Johnson); retail, construction and pharmaceuticals.
- Significant experience in multi-jurisdictional SEP/FRAND patent disputes, including key cases such as Alcatel v Amazon / Amazon v Nokia, Optis v Apple, IP Bridge v Huawei, Conversant v Huawei & ZTE, and Unwired Planet v Google, Samsung & Huawei.
- Advising artists, designers, film makers, photographers, authors, choreographers, musicians, and software developers, on issues of copyright and copyright disputes.
- Advising businesses on design right disputes arising out of their or their competitor’s products / competitor’s designs.
- Advising rights holders and alleged infringers in trademark / passing off disputes including in the retail, food and beverage, cosmetics, and construction industries.
- Advising on online rights infringement issues including domain name disputes and website takedown notices.
- Advising on contractual disputes relating to IP exploitation, including as part of the Porton Capital v 3M proceedings.
- Advising on disputes involving trade secrets and confidential information, including acting as junior counsel before the High Court of England & Wales in one of the leading cases in this area – Vestergaard Frandsen A/S v Bestnet.
- Advising on database infringement issues (copyright and sui generis database rights).
