












'A veritable powerhouse of IP expertise'
Chambers and Partners 2011
"8 New Square brims with barristers experienced in fighting fiendishly complex, high-value IT and telecoms disputes."
Chambers & Partners 2014
"8 New Square is undoubtedly one of the leading sets for trade mark and copyright cases within the media and entertainment sphere, so much so that stablemates here frequently find themselves pitted against each other in major cases."
Chambers & Partners (Media & Entertainment) 2014
'excellence on IT matters'
Legal 500 (Information Technology) 2010
"8 New Square brims with barristers experienced in fighting fiendishly complex, high-value IT and telecoms disputes."
Chambers & Partners (Information Technology) 2014
The clerks are described as "helpful," "generous" and "very good at knowing what you want."
Chambers & Partners (Intellectual Property) 2013
"an impressive set with quality from the top
silk down to the most junior barristers."
Chambers & Partners (Information Technology) 2013
"Fantastic roster of talent" and recommended for being "very modern, forward-thinking and providing sound commercial advice" as well as offering instructing solicitors "a very broad skill set in the soft IP space."
Chambers & Partners 2017
'Practical and helpful clerks" provide a "smooth and personable service.'
Chambers and Partners 2011
'Top drawer IP set.'
Legal 500 2010
"There are great people there at all levels and the clerks are very accommodating."
Chambers & Partners (Intellectual property) 2014
'A number of great IT and telecoms barristers.'
Legal 500 2010
'An incredibly good set for IP matters'.
Legal 500 2010
Jaani Riordan

Year of call: 2012
Jaani has a substantial practice in all areas of intellectual property and technology litigation, with particular expertise in disputes involving the Internet and computer technology. He joined Chambers in 2013, having previously qualified and practised in Australia.
Jaani appears regularly in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and advises clients across the telecommunications, internet, broadcasting, media, biotechnology, fashion and creative industries.
Before being called to the English Bar, Jaani graduated with the top first in law and a degree in computer science from the University of Melbourne. He also holds a doctorate in law from the University of Oxford, where his PhD research examined internet wrongdoing. While at Oxford, Jaani lectured in copyright, contract and trusts law.
Jaani previously practised as a solicitor at the Australian firm King & Wood Mallesons in the Intellectual Property and Technology group.
Jaani has substantial experience running and advising start-up companies, including advising on intellectual property protection, terms of use, and confidentiality.
Jaani is the author of The Liability of Internet Intermediaries (2016, Oxford University Press).
Recent Cases
• Unwired Planet International Ltd v Huawei Technologies Co Ltd & Samsung Electronics Co Ltd [2016] EWHC 94 (Pat), a large telecommunications patent trial (led by Richard Meade QC and Isabel Jamal for Unwired Planet).
• British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors v Cartier International AG [2016] EWCA Civ, a Court of Appeal case to determine the lawfulness of website blocking orders for counterfeit goods (led by Charlotte May QC for the five largest British ISPs).
• R (British American Tobacco UK Ltd & Ors) v Secretary of State for Health [2016] EWHC (Admin), representing the UK Government in challenge brought to standardised packaging of tobacco legislation (led by Martin Howe QC).
• Henry Hadaway Organisation Ltd v Pickwick Group Ltd [2015] EWHC 3407 (IPEC), a claim for infringement of copyright in West End musical sound recordings (unled).
• Trident Australasia Pty Ltd v Versabuild LLC [2015] All ER (D) 131; [2015] EWHC 1609 (Comm), a contractual claim in the Commercial Court related to the use of patented technology in the oil and gas industry (led by Peter Fraser QC), and subsequent application for non-party costs orders.
• Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Actavis Group PTC EHF [2015] EWHC 2548 (Pat), a complex pharmaceutical patent trial concerning a Swiss-form claim.
• ITV Broadcasting Ltd v TVCatchUp Ltd [2015] EWCA Civ 204, representing the Secretary of State in an appeal concerning an online television streaming service and the interpretation of EU copyright law. A reference to the CJEU is pending.
• Thomas Pink Ltd v Victoria’s Secret UK Ltd [2014] EWHC 2631 (Ch), a claim of trade mark infringement and passing off (led by Charlotte May QC for Thomas Pink).
Areas of Practice
• Breach of confidence
• Broadcasting and telecommunications
• Contractual disputes
• Copyright
• Cybersecurity
• Data protection and privacy
• Database right
• Design rights
• Information technology contracts
• Internet content disputes
• Interim remedies
• ISP liability/safe harbours
• Norwich Pharmacal disclosure
• Passing off and malicious falsehood
• Patents
• Secondary liability
• Trade marks
In appropriate cases, Jaani is able to receive instructions on a direct access basis.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy in Law (specialising in secondary liability of internet intermediaries for online wrongdoing) at Magdalen College, Oxford
- Awarded full Clarendon Scholarship, Overseas Research Scholarship and James Fairfax Oxford–Australia Trust Scholarship to University of Oxford
- Bachelor of Laws (first-class honours, top first), University of Melbourne
- Supreme Court Prize and E J B Nunn Scholarship (awarded to first-placed student in final honours list)
- Exhibitions and prizes: Evidence and Procedure, Conflict of Laws, Property Law, Criminal Law (first-placed student in each subject)
- Bachelor of Computer Science (Dean’s honours), University of Melbourne (majoring in artificial intelligence and web applications)
- Melbourne Abroad Scholarship; Commonwealth Learning Scholarship
- Case Note Editor and Assistant Editor, Melbourne University Law Review
Personal Interests
- In his spare time, Jaani is a violinist with the London City Orchestra and Bloomsbury Chamber Orchestra, and enjoys attending Glyndebourne, the Royal Opera and Wigmore Hall.
- He is a keen cyclist, fencer and hiker.
- Other interests include photography, art, architecture, and backgammon.
Recent Activity
» Opinion of the Advocate General in Teva v Gilead SPC case
» Argos Ltd v Argos Systems Inc [2017] EWHC 231 (Ch)
» Teva, Accord, Lupin, and Generics UK trading as Mylan v Gilead Sciences Inc.
» R (On the Application Of) British American Tobacco UK Limited & Others v The Secretary of State for Health [2016] EWCA Civ 1182
» Cartier International AG and Ors v British Sky Broadcasting and Ors
» R (British American Tobacco UK Limited & Ors) v Secretary of State for Health
» Unwired Planet International Ltd v Huawei Technologies Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and others [2016] EWHC 94 (Pat)
» ITV v TVCatchup [2015] EWCA Civ 204
» Cartier International AG & Ors v British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors [2014] EWHC 3354 (Ch)
» Thomas Pink Ltd v Victoria's Secret UK Ltd
What the Directories Say
"He offers astute, commercial and tactical advice." "He impresses with his wealth of knowledge and his ability to distil very complex issues down into bite-sized, comprehensible chunks"
Chambers and Partners (Intellectual Property) 2017
"He is highly intelligent and has a good analytical mind."
Legal 500 (Intellectual Property) 2017
"Ferociously clever, he is set for a bright future"
Legal 500 (Intellectual Property) 2016