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Recommended by World Trademark Review as one of the world's leading trademark professionals in 2012.
“IP department head Alistair Payne is a leading light.”
World Trademark Review 1000 2012
Matheson Ormsby Prentice’s “commercial and responsive” team boast the “excellent” Alistair Payne at its helm.
Intellectual Property: European Legal 500 2011
Partner and IP head Alistair Payne, received praise from clients for being: "Responsive, commercial, understands our business and is a pleasure to work with."
Managing IP’s 2010 World IP Survey
Alistair Payne is "not hesitant in forming a view - he won’t sit on the fence and delay proceedings".
Intellectual Property: European Legal 500 2010
Alistair Payne “doesn’t over-egg the pudding. He is very effective and knows what clients are looking for.”
Intellectual Property: Chambers Europe 2010
Alistair Payne is a "very responsive" and "client-focused" lawyer.
European Legal 500 2008
Alistair Payne “always gives 100%,” according to interviewees. He “really thinks about all the angles to come up with imaginative suggestions.”
Chambers Europe 2008
Alistair is also recognised as a leading lawyer by international legal directory PLC Which Lawyer.
Expertise
Alistair is a partner in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group and head of Matheson Ormsby Prentice's Intellectual Property Group. Formerly an IP/IT partner with one of the national Australian law firms, he has extensive experience gained over many years both in private practice and in-house, in relation to all aspects of intellectual property law. In particular he has represented multinational clients in the telecommunications, broadcasting, financial services, energy, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and retail sectors.
At Matheson Ormsby Prentice, Alistair leads an integrated contentious and commercial intellectual property team. The Group advises a wide range of indigenous and multinational clients in both advisory, transactional and contentious matters in all areas of intellectual property law. In particular he acts for manufacturers and brand owners in trade mark, passing off and anti-counterfeiting matters, advises pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, government agencies and tertiary institutions in patent ownership and infringement disputes, represents clients in copyright licensing and ownership disputes and concerning registered and unregistered design rights.
Alistair provides strategic brand and trade mark protection advice and implements this advice through the firm's trade mark agents, MOP Trade Mark Advisers. Both a WIPO and an .eu Domain Name Dispute Resolution Panelist, Alistair also regularly acts for clients seeking to protect their domain names and advises on internet law issues.
As a member of the International Trademark Association - Alistair is Vice Chairman of the 'Emerging Issues Committee' in 2010 and 2011. He is also a Council Member of LES Great Britain & Ireland. He is a Domain Name Dispute Resolution Panelist of both the World Intellectual Property Organisation and .eu. Alistair also sits on the Intellectual Property Sub-Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Alistair has authored of numerous case notes, articles and publications including in particular 'A Practitioner's Guide to Internet Regulation - City & Financial Publishing, London', author of chapter on Domain Names, Trade Marks and Passing Off (Second Revised Edition - 2001); co-author of the Australian chapter in 'Domain Name Law and Practice - An International Handbook', Oxford University Press; regular contributor to the World Trade Mark Law Reporter.
Education
University of Auckland, Bachelor of Arts
University of Auckland, Bachelor of Laws
University of London, Masters of Law (Intellectual Property)
Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland, England and Wales, New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland (Non practicing)
Registered Trade Mark Agent in Ireland (2006)
Highlights
Alistair has been involved in:
- undertaking strategic IP due diligence investigations and advising on IP issues in the context of mergers, takeovers, new ventures and investments in the insurance and cable/satellite television sectors, manufacturing, retail, biotechnology and internet based software sectors;
- representing one of the largest international drinks manufacturers in trade mark infringement and passing-off proceedings and in brand protection matters;
- representing technology and research institutes and government agencies in patent ownership and infringement disputes;
- advising on parallel importation issues and representing parties in patent infringement disputes;
- advising on pharmaceutical patent matters including SPC's, marketing authorisation, 'clearing the way', interim injunctions and patent revocation;
- advising and representing an international pharmaceutical company in a patent infringement dispute;
- representing ISP in relation to liability for subscriber infringements while peer-to-peer file sharing;
- representing provider of IT systems in long running arbitration concerning fundamental breach and misrepresentation;
- representing major brand owners in trade mark infringement, validity and anti-counterfeiting matters;
- advising banks, insurance companies, Ireland's national postal service provider, an international publishing conglomerate and an international media company on trade mark and branding strategies and transitional arrangements in the context of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures;
- advising multinational information service provider on copyright, database and licensing issues;
- advising private, tertiary and governmental institutions on intellectual property policies and the commercialisation of intellectual property rights.
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