Simon has over 30 years’ experience in IP litigation, arbitration and counselling, advising on patent, breach of confidence, copyright, design, trade mark and passing off issues. He is often asked by clients to advise on global litigation strategy and to co-ordinate English proceedings with parallel actions elsewhere in the world, particularly across Europe.

He has acted in some of the most commercially important litigation in recent years. This has included standard essential patent (SEP) and FRAND disputes as well as IP litigation in industries ranging from chemicals and pharmaceuticals to electronics and robotics. As well as representing clients in the English Courts and at the UK IPO, he has a strong reputation in the Unified Patents Court, having been responsible for several of the earliest cases in that Court.

Aside from advising on heavyweight technical dispute resolution, he has also acted in a range of high-profile anti-counterfeiting, parallel import and repackaging matters, which have included applications for interim injunctions, asset freezing orders and search orders. Simon has also been appointed by the Court on a number of occasions to supervise the execution of search orders by other firms of solicitors.

He frequently lectures on IP law and has previously been a tutor on the Oxford University Diploma
in Intellectual Property Law and Practice (and its predecessor course).

Simon has been a partner at Powell Gilbert since its founding in 2007.

Key Cases

• AutoStore v Ocado (robotics)
• Seoul Semiconductors / LG v General Electric (LED lights)
• Vestel v HEVC Advance & Philips (HEVC codec / FRAND licensing / jurisdiction challenge)
• Unwired Planet v Huawei & Others (telecommunications / FRAND licensing)
• R (Vitra, Cassina & Knoll) v The Secretary of State for Business (judicial review – copyright protection)
• HTC v Apple (smartphones)
• Philips & Others v Alba (MPEG-2 / FRAND licensing)
• Dr Reddy’s v Eli Lilly (olanzapine)
• Aerotel v Telco (telecommunications)
• Sony Computer Entertainment v Ball (copy protection circumvention devices)
• Unilever v Colgate (soap packaging)
• Allergan v Pharmacia (latanoprost)
• Gillette v Corsair (trade mark infringement and passing off – body sprays)
• Rambus v Micron and Hynix (memory chip technology)
• Pharmacia v Merck (COX 2 inhibitors)
• Duracell v Round Imports (trade mark infringement – batteries)
• IBM v Phoenix (trade mark infringement and passing off – memory cards)
• Research Corporation’s Patent (SPCs – licence of right)