THOMAS HINCHLIFFE

Called to the Bar 1997

Practice area
All aspects of intellectual property law, including patents, trade marks, passing off, copyright, registered designs and design right and confidential information

Reported cases
Cases before the UK Courts:

• Warner-Lambert v Teva, Phoenix & AAH (interim injunction, atorvastatin)

• Gedeon Richter v Bayer [2011] EWHC 583 (pat) (patent, oral contraceptives)

• Datacard v Eagle Technologies [2011] RPC 17 (patent and trade mark, printer ribbons)
• Abbott Laboratories Ltd v Medinol Ltd [2010] EWHC 2865 (Pat) (patent, cardiovascular stents)
• Research in Motion v Motorola [2010] EWHC 118 (pat) (patent, mobile email)
• Scinopharm v Eli Lilly [2009] EWHC 631 (pat) (patent, process for making the cancer drug gemcitabine)
• Generics UK v Daiichi [2009] RPC 23 (patent, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, SPCs on enantiomer products)
• Actavis v Merck [2008] RPC 26 (finasteride, male pattern baldness, second medical use claims, when Court of Appeal can depart from previous decisions)
• Generics UK, Teva & Arrow v Lundbeck [2008] RPC 19 (patent, citalopram, escitalopram, enantiomers)
• Qualcomm v Nokia [2008] EWHC 329 (pat) (Mobile telephones, patents, infringement, validity, essentiality)
• Research in Motion UK Limited v Visto [2008] EWHC 355 (pat) (BlackBerry computers, patent, obviousness, computer software patents)
• Research in Motion UK Limited v Visto [2007] EWHC 900 (Ch) (BlackBerry computers, abuse of process by commencement of proceedings in Italy, dismissal under Art. 28 Brussels Regulation)
• Aerotel Limited v Telco (Patents Court, summary revocation of a Patent, method of doing business, patentability)
• Research in Motion UK Limited v Inpro Licensing SARL [2007] EWCA Civ 51 & [2006] RPC 20 (Court of Appeal & Patents Court, BlackBerry handheld computers)
• Conor Medsystems v Angiotech Pharmaceuticals [2007] RPC 20 & [2006] RPC 28 (Court of Appeal & Patents Court, approach to obviousness, drug eluting cardiovascular stents)
• Mayne Pharma v Debiopharm [2006] FSR 37 (Patents Court, waiver of privilege by service of Notice of Experiments, oxaliplatin)
• Badge Sales v PMS International Group PLC [2006] FSR 1 (High Court, design right, secondary infringement, whether innocent acquisition a bar to interim injunction)
• Stanelco v BioProgress (No.1) & (No.2) [2005] RPC 15 & 16 (Patents Court, RF welding, patent entitlement and breach of confidence, application to adduce further evidence after judgment)
• Coflexip v Stolt Comex (No.2) [2004] FSR 7 & 34 (Patents Court & Court of Appeal, sub-sea pipelaying, patent infringement, inquiry as to damages, estoppel as to validity, CPC Art. 33)
• Merck & Co., Inc’s Patents [2004] FSR 16 & [2003] FSR 24 (Patents Court, Court of Appeal, patent, validity, alendronate, bone resorption agents)
• Fulton v Totes [2004] RPC 301 & [2003] RPC 499 (Patents County Court & Court of Appeal, umbrella cases, design right and registered designs, construction of the statutory definition of a design)
• Kirin-Amgen v HMR/TKT [2003] RPC 31 (Patents Court, recombinant erythropoietin, amendment of a patent, good faith and reasonable skill & knowledge)
• Coflexip v Stolt Comex [2003] FSR 41 (Court of Appeal, patent infringement, inquiry as to damages, loss of profit, causation)
• Pharmacia/Monsanto v Merck [2002] RPC 775 & [2000] RPC 709 (Patents Court & Court of Appeal, patent infringement and validity – Cox II inhibitors, tautomers)
• Coflexip v Stolt Comex [2001] RPC 182 (Court of Appeal, patent, subsea pipelaying, infringement, validity, scope of final injunctions)
• Euromarket Designs v Peters [2001] FSR 288 (trade marks, use of trade marks on websites, revocation for non-use)
• Scandecor v Scandecor [1999] FSR 26 (passing off/trade marks, ownership of goodwill)
• Round v Redfearn (November 1998) High Court, design right, beer bottles)

Cases before the European Patent Office
• T812/00 (Thiophenes/Searle et al)

Personal
Regular competitor in triathlons – has represented Great Britain at both World Short and Long Course Triathlon Championship and has been a bronze medallist in his age group at the European Triathlon Championships.

Professional membership
Intellectual Property Bar Association; Chancery Bar Association.

‘Thomas Hinchliffe is “one of the undisputed stars of the junior Bar, and commentators form a lengthy queue to sing his praises”. He is well established as a senior junior with the capacity to add great value to any big IP case, and is "a good advocate and an effective communicator with all members of the team." He is a “man with a satisfyingly practical approach". 

CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2012, Star Individual

“methodical and thorough”

Legal 500 2012

Education
• Brasenose College Oxford
(1995 MA, First Class Hons. Chemistry);
• City University
(1996, Diploma in Law, Distinction);
• Inns of Court School of Law
(1997, top of year, graded Outstanding and Scarman scholar).
Career
• Called to the Bar in 1997, Middle Temple;
• Contributor to 15th and 16th Editions of ‘Terrell on Patents’.