Adrian Speck’s practice covers all aspects of Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment and Information Technology law.
His clients vary from large biotechnology and pharmaceutical corporations, telecoms manufacturers, substantial brand owners, broadcasters, publishers, television production companies and record companies to small businesses and private authors inventors and composers.
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Experience
Patents & SPCs
- Warner Lambert v Generics and Actavis [2015] EWHC 2548 (Pat); [2015] EWHC 3370 (Pat); [2016] EWCA Civ 1006: second medical use claims for drug called pregabalin.
- Actavis & others v Eli Lilly: patent dispute over dosing and formulation of tadalafil, used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Currently on appeal to the Supreme Court.
- Unwired Planet v Huawei (technical and FRAND) [2016] EWHC 576 (Pat); [2017] EWHC 2988 (Pat);[2017] EWHC 711 (Pat); [2018] EWCA Civ 2344: patent infringement proceedings concerning standard essential patents for both UMTS and LTE telecoms standards.
- Virgin v Premium and Air Canada [2012] EWHC 3318 (Pat); [2012] EWHC 2153 (Pat); [2013] EWCA Civ 1713: patent infringement proceedings concerning Lie flat aircraft seats.
- Biogen v Medeva [1997] R.P.C. 1: biotechnology patent dispute concerning patent for genetically engineered protein for use as a vaccine against Hepatitis B.
- Haberman v Jackel [1999] EWHC 269 (Pat): patent infringement action concerning a commercially successful valve fitted to a toddlers’ trainer cup to make it leakproof.
Copyright & Databases
- Coward v Phaestos [2013] EWHC 1292 (Ch); [2014] EWCA Civ 1256: complex case concerning automated hedge fund software
- Norowzian v Arks [1998] EWHC 315 (Ch); [1999] EWCA Civ 3014; [1999] EWCA Civ 3018: a claim brought by a director of adverts alleging that a Guinness advert was an infringement of copyright in a short film he had made.
Trade marks & Brands
- Merck v Merck [2017] EWCA Civ 1834: concerning contractual and trade mark position of two major pharmaceutical companies. A particular focus of the dispute was the activity of the Defendant on the Internet.
- Specsavers v Asda [2010] EWHC 2035 (Ch); [2012] EWCA Civ 24; [2012] EWCA Civ 494: trade mark infringement and passing off case concerning advertising campaign adopted by Asda with slogans directed to Specsavers and with a new logo based upon the Specsavers logo.
- Scandecor Development v Scandecor Marketing [2001] UKHL 21: dispute between 2 publishers of posters and calendars. Case concerning ownership of goodwill in the SCANDECOR mark used in relation to posters calendars and the like when a previously multi national group was divided.
- Wagamama v City Centre Restaurants [1995] F.S.R. 713: trade mark and passing off claim against a major operator of restaurants in respect of its RAJAMAMA restaurant.
Design Rights
- Ultraframe v Fielding [2005] EWHC 1638 (Ch); [2003] EWCA Civ 1805; [2006] EWCA Civ 113: large multifaceted dispute between two conservatory roof manufacturers. Claim included issues of design right relating to the designs of system used to construct conservatory roofs in addition to claims for passing off.
- Novom v Iceland: design right claim brought in respect of designs of freezer cabinets used to display frozen food in stores.
Trade Secrets & Confidentiality
- Lancashire Fires v S.A. Lyons [1996] F.S.R. 629: Breach of confidence brought by a manufacturer of decorative gas fires against ex employees in respect of their use of a confidential process for manufacture of ceramic coals and logs.
IT & Telecoms Disputes
- Unwired Planet v Huawei (FRAND and technical) [2016] EWHC 576 (Pat); [2017] EWHC 2988 (Pat);[2017] EWHC 711 (Pat); [2018] EWCA Civ 2344: Issues included what terms and behaviour were and were not FRAND and various alleged breaches of competition law.
- IPCOM v HTC [2013] EWHC 2880 (Ch); [2013] EWCA Civ 1496; [2015] EWHC 1034 (Pat); [2017] EWCA Civ 90: telecoms patent dispute concerning RACH channel access.
- Qualcomm v Nokia [2008] EWHC 329 (Pat): patent action in which Qualcomm alleged two of its patents were infringed by Nokia’s GPRS mobile phones.
- RIM v Visto [2008] EWHC 335 (Pat); [2008] EWHC 819 (Pat); [2008] EWCA Civ 153: patent dispute relating to computer systems used in conjunction with hand held devices for receiving e-mails and the method of obtaining access through a corporate firewall whilst roaming.
Internet Law & Cybersecurity
- Cartier v BskyB [2016] EWCA Civ 658; [2018] UKSC 28: concerning injunctions against ISPs to secure blocking of websites involved in counterfeiting on basis of registered trade marks.
- Newzbin 2 [2011] EWHC 1981 (Ch): case under s. 97A CDPA 1988. Injunction against BT to secure blocking of Newzbin website.
- Newzbin 1 [2010] EWHC 608 (Ch): case brought by main film making studios against a website which indexed infringing copies of films on Usenet and made them readily available.
- Merck v Merck [2017] EWCA Civ 1834: concerning contractual and trade mark position of two major pharmaceutical companies. A particular focus of the dispute was the activity of the Defendant on the Internet.
Jurisdiction & Remedies
- Conversant v Huawei & ZTE [2018] EWHC 808 (Pat): challenge to the jurisdiction of the English court.
- Cartier v BskyB [2016] EWCA Civ 658; [2018] UKSC 28: concerning injunctions against ISPs to secure blocking of websites involved in counterfeiting on basis of registered trade marks.
- Fort Dodge v Akzo [1997] EWCA Civ 3096: jurisdictional dispute under the Brussels Convention in relation to proceedings for infringement of patent. This was the first case concerning the Brussels Convention jurisdictional rules and their application to IP disputes to reach the Court of Appeal.
- Pearce v Ove Arup Partnership [2001] EWHC Ch 455: claim for infringement of Dutch copyright in architect’s plans by the building of a large public building in Rotterdam.
Media, Sport & Entertainment
- Estate of Adrian Jacobs v Bloomsbury & JK Rowling [2010] EWHC 2560 (Ch) : allegation of copyright infringement by JK Rowling in writing fourth book in the series of Harry Potter Books.
- Bloomsbury & JK Rowling v News International [2003] EWHC 1205 (Ch): claim relating to the theft of copies of a book. The case is notable for the successful application to obtain a ‘John Doe’ injunction (an injunction obtained against persons who were unidentified).
- 19 TV v Freemantle & Cowell: case concerning the television formats Pop Idol and X Factor. Case settled at the court door.
- Education and Awards
- King’s College, Cambridge: 1991, BA Physics and Theoretical Physics (First Class Honours);
- Inns of Court School of Law: 1993, Wilfred Parker Prize for top mark in Evidence, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure and Sentencing
- Gray’s Inn: 1993 Bird & Bird Award, 1992, Karmel Award, 1991 Karmel Award
- King’s College: Scholar, 1991, Richard’s Prize for the top mark among the College’s Natural Sciences and Medicine Students
- Professional memberships
- I.P. Bar Association
- Chancery Bar Association
Contact Adrian Speck KC's clerks
Whilst barristers have a designated practice management team, all the clerks have the capacity and knowledge to assist in cases involving all counsel.