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Key contacts
CEO & Founder: Adam Morallee
Director of BD & Marketing: Matt Gale
Head of Litigation: Michael Forrester
Senior Associate: Bianca Wilson
Quick facts
Number of partners

8

Other qualified practitioners

12

Total number of lawyers

20

Languages spoken at the firm

English, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Finnish, Dutch

Network memberships

BNI, CITMA, INTA, Corporate Connections, ECTA, BIMA

Key practice areas
Trade mark
Trade mark prosecution - law firms
Trade mark disputes - law firms
Firm overview

Specialist IP firm Brandsmiths has carved out a unique space in the legal landscape. Known for its fearless approach to technical litigation, the firm’s involvement in some of the most significant intellectual property cases of recent years underscores its ability to tackle even the most intricate and high-stakes disputes.

What sets Brandsmiths apart, however, is not just its legal expertise, but the straightforward and personable way in which that expertise is delivered. Clients appreciate the firm’s approachable style and how they provide opinion, not options, balancing cutting-edge legal acumen with a clear, transparent communication style.

The firm’s team is a blend of experienced senior lawyers, dynamic associates, and proactive paralegals, all of whom are committed to providing outstanding client service. This winning combination not only fosters strong client relationships but also makes Brandsmiths a formidable opponent in the courtroom. The firm’s ability to deliver results with a practical, user-friendly touch makes them a go-to choice for businesses, ranging from innovative start-ups to multi-national giants.

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

In the last year, Brandsmiths has received several notable award wins, including ‘UK Impact Case of the Year Award’ at this year’s Managing IP Awards, awarded for their outstanding work in the Lifestyle Equities v Amazon case. At the same awards, Andy Lee, Brandsmiths Head of Intellectual Property won UK Soft IP practitioner of the year, for the second time.

In addition to the above, Brandsmiths were nominated for both ‘Boutique Law Firm of the Year’ and ‘TMT Firm of the Year’ at the British Legal Awards.
Brandsmiths also has a strong reputation across fashion and entertainment, which features particularly heavily in our portfolio with one of our largest ongoing cases featuring Peppa Pig. which sits alongside licensing deals with the likes of David Guetta and international footballers and clubs. Finally, Brandsmiths has been involved in several retail and FMCG cases this year including cases involving AGA and the Fragrance Shop.

This UK 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, Christian Dior, Mo Farah, and Vinted.

Key practice contacts & recent matter highlights
  • Michael Forrester, Intellectual property (contentious), michael@brandsmiths.co.uk, Lifestyle Equities C.V. and another v Ahmed and another, Lifestyle Equities CV v Amazon, 3. Iconix Luxembourg Holdings SARL v Dream Pairs Europe Inc. and another
  • Andy Lee, Intellectual property, andy@brandsmiths.co.uk, Iconix v dreampairs Supreme Court, Lifestyle v Amazon Supreme Court, 3. AGA v UK Innovations
  • Stephen Lowry, Trade mark, stephen@brandsmiths.co.uk, Bargain Busting Limited v Shenzhen Ske Technology Co. Ltd, Parfums Christian Dior, Abbott Lyon vs Van Cleef & Arpels
  • Jacob O’Brien, IP transactions, jacob@brandsmiths.co.uk, David Guetta / My Love Affair, Spectrum Brands, Planeta Junior S.L.
Other offices
Practice Areas & Sector Specialisations

Key practice areas

Copyright, Copyright & related rights, Designs, Intellectual property, Intellectual property (contentious), Intellectual property (prosecution), IP transactions, Patent, Patent (contentious), Patent (prosecution), Trade mark, Trade mark (contentious), Trade mark (prosecution)

Key areas of expertice 

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

Address:
19 Hooper Street, London
E1 8BU, United Kingdom
Tel:+442037098957 Email:Contact Us Web Address:https://brandsmiths.co.uk
2026 Edition
Trade mark disputes - law firms
Tier 3
28 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Bird & Bird
10 practice areas
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Bristows
8 practice areas
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CMS
10 practice areas
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Gowling WLG
9 practice areas
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Lewis Silkin
10 practice areas
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Mishcon de Reya
9 practice areas
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Winston Taylor
10 practice areas
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Tier 2

Browne Jacobson
8 practice areas
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Fieldfisher
10 practice areas
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Osborne Clarke
10 practice areas
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Simmons & Simmons
9 practice areas
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Wiggin
10 practice areas
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Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
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Brandsmiths
3 practice areas
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Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
7 practice areas
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Keystone Law
5 practice areas
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Pinsent Masons
9 practice areas
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RPC
6 practice areas
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Shoosmiths
8 practice areas
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Stephenson Harwood
8 practice areas
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Other Notable Firms

A&O Shearman
10 practice areas
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Baker McKenzie
8 practice areas
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Charles Russell Speechlys
5 practice areas
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DLA Piper
6 practice areas
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Howard Kennedy
5 practice areas
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Palmer Biggs IP Solicitors
5 practice areas
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Walker Morris
6 practice areas
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White & Case
6 practice areas
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Trade mark prosecution - law firms
Tier 3
31 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Baker McKenzie
8 practice areas
View full profile
Bird & Bird
10 practice areas
View full profile
Bristows
8 practice areas
View profile
CMS
10 practice areas
View profile
Fieldfisher
10 practice areas
View full profile
Lewis Silkin
10 practice areas
View full profile
Winston Taylor
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Charles Russell Speechlys
5 practice areas
View profile
Mishcon de Reya
9 practice areas
View full profile
Wiggin
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

A&O Shearman
10 practice areas
View full profile
Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
View full profile
Brandsmiths
3 practice areas
View full profile
Fox Williams
4 practice areas
View profile
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
7 practice areas
View full profile
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
6 practice areas
View full profile
Osborne Clarke
10 practice areas
View full profile
Pinsent Masons
9 practice areas
View profile
Shoosmiths
8 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
9 practice areas
View full profile

Other Notable Firms

Ashfords
6 practice areas
View profile
Birketts
6 practice areas
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Brabners
6 practice areas
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Dentons
6 practice areas
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Edwin Coe
5 practice areas
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K&L Gates
5 practice areas
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Lee & Thompson
5 practice areas
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Penningtons Manches Cooper
7 practice areas
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Stevens & Bolton
6 practice areas
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Walker Morris
6 practice areas
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Wedlake Bell
2 practice areas
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Overview

Brandsmiths is well known for its expertise in trade mark litigation. The firm has appeared in several trade mark cases, including some that reached the appellate courts. The team can also handle trade mark filing, office proceedings, and other soft IP disputes.

Notable soft IP lawyers: Andrew Lee, Michael Forrester, Stephen Lowry, and Tom Keane.

Follow MIP's coverage of the firm here.

Testimonials

2026

"Brandsmiths’ litigation offering is first‑rate. Andy Lee and his team, together with Michael Forster’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 Forster 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."

Andrew Lee

"Andrew Lee is an outstanding contentious IP lawyer who combines deep technical expertise with highly commercial judgement. He is particularly strong on complex trade mark and copyright disputes, where he is able to cut through the detail and give clear, confident recommendations rather than heavily caveated options. Lee runs cases with calm authority, anticipating the other side’s approach and steering the wider team effectively, while remaining very approachable, pragmatic and responsive in his dealings with us. Working with him genuinely feels like working with an extension of our internal legal team rather than an external adviser."

"Andy has strong leadership qualities and is excellent at building a team for a particular case. He is always up to date with the law and deploys new case law in ingenious and innovative ways. He knows when to turn on the aggression."

Stephen Lowry

"He is highly competent and has a strong ability to identify solutions that benefit the client."

"Stephen is an exceptional lawyer. He is highly responsive, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented, with strong commercial judgment. He explains complex issues clearly, provides actionable advice, and is consistently reliable under time pressure. His work product is thorough and well-structured, and he manages matters efficiently while keeping stakeholders aligned on strategy and risk."

"Stephen is highly responsive and very competent within his areas of practice. I appreciate his commercial mindset and the direct way in which he provides advice, which is always strategic and practical."

Matthew Siddaway

"Matthew is friendly, approachable and understanding of client's limitations and offers creative solutions to work within those limitations."

 

2025

"They are excellent at what they do. Their advice is pragmatic, and their costs are never a surprise."

"What I appreciate most about Brandsmiths' IP service and team is their ability to go beyond traditional legal advice. They take a proactive approach, crafting tailored strategies that align seamlessly with our business objectives.

"It feels as though they are an integral part of our organisation, acting as in-house IP specialists who deeply understand our goals and challenges. Their insight, strategic thinking, and hands-on collaboration have consistently added tangible value to our projects. They are not just advisors; they are true partners in protecting and leveraging our intellectual property."

"Hugely experienced litigators, inventive and aggressive when appropriate."

"[They are] experts in the field, congenial and easy to work with."

"I've been consistently impressed by Brandsmiths' ability to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions. Their deep understanding of intellectual property law and their commitment to client satisfaction make them a valuable advisor."

"Very user-focused, very commercially minded."

"They are good at marshalling extensive resources when necessary."

"[They provide] pragmatic, knowledgeable advice."

"Friendly, efficient, effective, and ingenious."

"[We like] the people and the quality of work."

"They [are] nice human beings; just the perfect colleagues to team up with."

Linked Reviews
Trade mark

Case studies show the firm represented August Ventures Private, Hasbro Consumer Products Licensing, Bargain Busting, Lifestyle Equities, and Iconix Luxembourg Holdings in their court actions. Its cases for Lifestyle Equities and Iconix Luxembourg Holdings reached the UK Supreme Court.

In 2024, the firm welcomed former Simmons & Simmons’ supervising associate Matt Siddaway as an associate and trade mark attorney and litigator Stephen Lowry as a partner. Soft IP lawyer Joel Barry left the firm in 2024. Commercial IP lawyers Craig Chaplin and Jacob O’Brien and soft IP litigator John Battersby left the firm in 2025. 

9 results9 results
Strike-out application will hear claims that the copyright aspect of an IP infringement claim brought by a gambling and sports betting group should be dropped
Stobbs has successfully seen off a contempt of court application filed against the firm and two of its lawyers
While Sipara will continue operating under its existing name and leadership for now, both firms plan to present a united front at the INTA Annual Meeting in London
New partners, including the firm’s first female head of a department, are eyeing a deeper focus on client understanding
News of Via Licensing Alliance launching its first semiconductor patent pool and INTA electing a new president were also among the top talking points
Daniel Raymond, who will serve as head of client relations, tells Managing IP that law firms must offer ‘brave’ opinions if they want to keep winning new business
Stobbs stands accused of interfering with the administration of justice after Brandsmiths’ client was subjected to an interim injunction for unjustified threats
IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications
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