Gus is one of Australasia’s most experienced intellectual property lawyers. His experience includes litigation at all levels of the Australian and New Zealand systems, alternative dispute resolution procedures (mediation and arbitration), commercialisation, regulatory issues and administrative law.

In addition to traditional intellectual property and associated areas of law he has particular experience with litigation and regulatory matters concerning hazardous substances, agricultural chemicals, and veterinary medicines.

Gus is ranked in Intellectual Asset Management’s IAM Patent 1000, recommended for patent litigation and transactions, and is also featured in NZ Lawyer’s 2016 Hot List (a guide detailing the who’s who of New Zealand law).

In his down time, Gus can be found in the wilderness mountaineering. He also enjoys a well-rounded whisky and has an interest in photography.

Gus has acted in many New Zealand High Court copyright matters, from a wide array of industrial copyright disputes to successful urgent proceedings on allegations of copyright infringement, breach of confidence and breach of contract in connection with software development and outsourcing. Gus has recently been involved in a series of landmark cases concerning copyright infringement in relation to furniture: his work in the Plantation Grown Timbers v ESR case in particular has been watched with worldwide interest.

Gus has also been involved in the first cases before IP Australia and the Federal Court of Australia under the “Raising The Bar” Amendments to the Australian Patents Act, acting for United States Gypsum (USG).

Prior to joining James & Wells, Gus was an Associate to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, a lecturer at Monash University Law School in Melbourne, and worked with other leading law firms.

He has represented clients at all levels of the New Zealand and Australian Court systems and before various tribunals and non-judicial authorities, from the District, High, Court of Appeal and Supreme Courts in New Zealand, to the Federal, Supreme and High Court in Australia, as well as before the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ), IP Australia, and the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) / Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).