Darren Meale

Partner, Simmons & Simmons

Darren is a soft IP litigator and brand portfolio manager, an award-winning innovator and a Deputy District Judge in the IPEC (the UK’s specialist IP court).

Darren’s practice spans IP litigation in the UK courts, registry disputes at the UKIPO and EUIPO and international trade mark and design prosecution. He works across a range of sectors, in particular the media, technology, finance and fintech sectors. To give a flavour, he has advised clients on intellectual property rights in relation to everything from cartoon characters to whisky bottles, clothing, knitting needles, lingerie, soft drinks, mobile phones, TV programmes, films and hotels.

He is an award-winning innovator, twice recognised for his innovative approach to solving legal problems, including by the Financial Times who previously named him Young Innovator of the Year. Darren is also a respected thought leader in the IP community, writing the Retromark round-ups on the IPKat blog, sitting on INTA’s Famous Marks committee and the editorial board of journal JIPLP. Darren also sits as a Deputy District Judge in both the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the English County Court.