10
45
English, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Finnish, Dutch
BNI, CITMA, INTA, IPLA, ECTA, BIMA, GC Elite
Main Areas of Practice Intellectual Property (IP): At the heart of Brandsmiths' expertise lies a deep understanding of IP. The firm has extensive experience in high-profile litigation across various courts, including the Appellant Courts, High Court, and the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). Their proficiency encompasses litigating cases related to trademarks, designs, passing off, copyright, and confidential information. Notably, Brandsmiths represented clients in the Supreme Court case of Lifestyle Equities v Amazon, which has become a leading case on the interaction between territorial trademark rights and global internet trade. Additionally, Brandsmiths successfully represented the owners of the iconic UMBRO brand in a trademark infringement case in the Court of Appeal, and more recently, the Supreme Court.
Litigation: The firm’s litigation team is renowned for handling high-profile cases in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. They adeptly manage high-value breach of contract disputes, director’s duties, and employee claims. The team also possesses considerable experience in media, harassment, and privacy actions, particularly those related to clubs, agents, and talent in the sports industry.
Trademarks: Brandsmiths’ Trade marks, copyright and designs team has collaborated with some of the most globally recognised brands. By offering a full-service solution, clients work with the same team to prepare and file applications along through to handling commercial exploitation and enforcement against infringements. Combining the expertise of solicitors, trademark attorneys, and international advocates, Brandsmiths has cleared and registered thousands of trademarks and designs in the UK, Europe, and worldwide.
Commercial & Corporate: Brandsmiths' commercial and corporate department focuses on IP-intensive businesses and contracts. They work with household names such as Umbro, Speedo, and The Fragrance Shop, as well as emerging brands such as Dirtea and Here We Flo. The team assists clients with fundraising, advising venture capital investors and businesses on investments, particularly in IP-rich sectors like technology and media.
Sport: The Brandsmiths Sports Group regularly advises clubs, agencies, athletes, and global brands across various sports, with a strong emphasis on football and boxing. Their services encompass player transfers, regulatory issues, media and privacy matters, commercial deals, and a full range of litigation services, including seeking urgent injunctive relief. Notable clients include Manchester United, Everton, Burnley FC, Joe Joyce, YMU, Wasserman, Ben Foster, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Top Rank, Umbro, and Speedo.
International Work The firm regularly undertakes international work, serving both UK clients abroad and overseas clients in the UK, with particularly strong connections in the EU and the United States. The team includes fluent speakers of Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Greek, and French, enhancing their ability to navigate complex international legal landscapes.
Firm Details Brandsmiths has received several notable award wins, including being named as a top three firm in the UK for IP in The Times Best Law Firms 2026. The firm is also ranked in Chambers, Legal 500, Managing IP, WTR, and more, with leading individuals also being spotlighted in these rankings.
This UK IP firm has built a reputation for delivering tailored legal solutions to some of the world's leading brands. In addition to those mentioned above, their client roster includes notable names such as Microsoft, BMW, Broken Planet, Parfums Christian Dior, Hasbro, and Vinted.
"Brandsmiths’ litigation offering is first‑rate. Andy Lee and his team, together with Michael Forrester’s team, provide clear, strategic and commercially attuned advice, with frank and realistic assessments of risk and likely outcomes. They are highly responsive on time‑sensitive matters, their drafting and advocacy are consistently strong, and they run cases with a calm assurance that inspires confidence. On a personal level they are a pleasure to deal with: sensible, pragmatic and down‑to‑earth, which makes even high‑pressure disputes far easier to manage."
"Brandsmiths’ filing, prosecution and portfolio administration work has been consistently excellent. Stephen Lowry and his team, with senior associate Priya Gandham as our main day‑to‑day contact, are meticulous and well organised, with deadlines managed reliably and formalities handled accurately the first time. Communication from Lowry and Gandham on status, options and cost is clear and practical, and they are proactive in flagging issues or opportunities rather than simply processing instructions. The team is approachable and straightforward in manner, which makes ongoing portfolio work efficient and low‑friction."
"Brandsmiths’ IP advisory work is a real strength. Lee, Lowry, Gandham and Forrester give technically robust advice that is firmly grounded in commercial reality and calibrated to our risk appetite. They take the time to understand our business, brands and longer‑term objectives, and their guidance is concise, pragmatic and genuinely solution‑oriented rather than abstract black‑letter analysis. They are also very open, thoughtful and collaborative, which makes it easy to explore issues at an early stage and shape strategy together."
"Andy Lee has assembled an effective, efficient and aggressive team of experienced litigators."
"They are highly competent and pragmatic, and they resolve issues in a client-friendly and efficient manner."
"Brandsmiths’ litigation team is commercially minded, responsive, and pragmatic. They provide clear assessments of prospects and risk, propose sensible strategy options early, and keep the process tightly managed. Their written work is well-structured and persuasive, and they are effective at translating complex issues into actionable recommendations for decision-makers. Overall, they balance robustness with proportionality and remain focused on outcomes."
"They feel like relatable people, never corporate or detached. They understand the limitations of small businesses and work flexibly to provide services within those limitations. They are prompt, patient and cooperative. They are aggressive and don't faff around with too many back-and-forths which end up costing clients a lot more."
"The filing/prosecution function is efficient and well organised. Communication is clear and timely, deadlines are managed reliably, and the team is proactive in flagging issues (including priority decisions and jurisdiction-specific nuances) before they become problems. Their guidance is practical and business-oriented, and they maintain strong oversight across portfolios with minimal need for follow-up or escalation."
"Their advisory support is solution-driven and easy to work with. They provide concise, actionable advice that is aligned with commercial objectives and risk appetite, and they are particularly strong at offering options (with pros and cons) rather than purely theoretical analysis. They are also responsive on short timelines and communicate clearly with both legal and non-legal stakeholders."
"I have worked with the firm in an enforcement context, including negotiations relating to trademark use, and appreciate their pragmatic and commercially focused approach. The team at Brandsmiths provides clear, straightforward advice regardless of the complexity of the matter."
"Stephen Lowry and Michael Forrester teams are incredibly skilled, responsive and pragmatic. They provide excellent work to our clients in the UK both in terms of prosecution and litigation."
"I like the fact that they provide our clients with pragmatic responses, with a great concern about our clients needs and budgets."
- Copyright
- Copyright & related rights
- Designs
- Intellectual property
- Intellectual property (contentious)
- Intellectual property (prosecution)
- IP transactions
- Patent
- Patent (contentious)
- Patent (prosecution)
- Trade mark (contentious)
- Trade mark (prosecution)
- Michael Forrester
Intellectual property (contentious)
E: michael@brandsmiths.co.uk
• Lifestyle Equities C.V. and another v Ahmed and another
• Lifestyle Equities CV v Amazon
• Iconix Luxembourg Holdings SARL v Dream Pairs Europe Inc. and another
- Andrew Lee
Intellectual property
E: andy@brandsmiths.co.uk
• Hasbro v SConnect
• Iconix v Dream Pairs
• Lifestyle v Amazon Supreme Court
• AGA v UK Innovations
- Stephen Lowry
Trade mark
E: stephen@brandsmiths.co.uk
• Bargain Busting Limited v Shenzhen Ske Technology Co. Ltd
• Parfums Christian Dior
• Abbott Lyon v Van Cleef & Arpels
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Artificial intelligence
- Arts
- Automotive
- Banking
- Biotechnology
- Chemical
- Computer technology & services
- Construction and materials
- Consumer goods and services
- E-commerce
- Electrical
- Electronics
- Energy
- Fashion & luxury goods
- Film
- Financial services
- FMCG
- Food and beverage
- Furniture
- Gaming
- Government and public policy
- Healthcare
- Hospitality & leisure
- Industrials
- Insurance
- Logistics
- Manufacturing
- Mechanical
- Media
- Music
- Pharmaceutical
- Professional services
- Publishing
- Renewable energy
- Retail
- Sports
- Technology hardware
- Telecommunication
- Tobacco
Manchester office
31 Princess Street
Manchester
M2 4EW
United Kingdom
T: 07939303807
E:info@brandsmiths.co.uk