JUVE Comment

Blackstone Chambers’ barristers have a flexible approach to crossover patent cases. Although a broader commercial set rather than a specialised IP set, its QCs and juniors excel beyond simply the intersection between telecommunications, FRAND and antitrust law. Its barristers can also turn their hands to pharmaceutical and telecommunication cases, appearing in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal over the past year. Indeed, the high-profile case between Warner-Lambert and Actavis and Mylan, saw all three clients represented by Blackstone barristers at the Supreme Court. Junior barrister James Segan also acted for Huawei in the year’s most high-profile FRAND case against Unwired Planet, again at the Supreme Court. Blackstone Chambers also has proved its worth in cross-border litigation, acting on the side of Lenovo in a recent case brought by IPCom in the UK and Paris. Recommended barrister Michael Bloch acts frequently on the side of technology companies against non-practising entities.

Recommended individuals

Michael Bloch (“superb advice and litigation at the interface between patent and antitrust law”)

Team

2 QCs, 2 juniors

Clients

Supreme Court: Warner-Lambert (claimant; David Pannick) against generics companies/Mylan and Actavis (defendant; Pushpinder Saini) over pregabalin; Huawei (appellant; James Segan) against Unwired Planet over FRAND. Court of Appeal: Conversant against Huawei/ZTE (defendant; Michael Bloch for ZTE) over FRAND and jurisdiction. High Court London: IPCom against Lenovo (defendant; Michael Bloch) over call technology (all public knowledge).