Ian is recognised as one of New Zealand’s most influential leaders in intellectual property. He has extensive experience advising clients in the filing, prosecution, and enforcement of their innovation at all levels and across a range of industries, particularly in construction, manufacturing, electrical engineering, animal health, and medical devices.

Ian represents multi-national corporations in cross-border patent litigation and in pre-grant patent opposition proceedings in Australia and New Zealand. He led the New Zealand team that acted for ResMed Pty Ltd in its recent global dispute with Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd. This was one of the most complex pieces of patent litigation in New Zealand to date. Ian has also worked extensively with Bayer Australia and Bayer New Zealand running numerous parallel patent oppositions in those countries for those companies.

Ian’s commercial law qualifications have been called on by his clients throughout his lengthy career in IP. He holds and has held a number of executive positions in commercial and administrative roles. These include sitting on the AUT’s TechPark Innovation Board, sitting on an Advisory Board to a prominent exporter of heavy industrial machinery, sitting on the NZIPA’s Examination Board and its Council (including as President), and immediate past member of the TTIPAB. In 2024 Ian was appointed to the Trans-Tasman Intellectual Property Attorneys Board Disciplinary Tribunal.

With an extensive practice in a broad range of IP, Ian has been recognised as a leader by many influential publications and has received accolades for expertise in enforcement and litigation by: Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Top 1000 Patent Attorneys (Gold ranking) (2017-2023), IAM’s Global Leaders (2021-2023), Best Lawyers 2024, World Trade Mark Review 1000, Legal 500 (Tier 1), Managing IP Stars (2018-2024).