Ed is a partner and is the head of our intellectual property group. He specialises in advising on the capture, protection, commercialisation and enforcement of all intellectual property rights. He is a nationally-recognised leader in his field, with particular expertise in advising on the legal issues involved in the development, management and protection of technology and brands.

He has acted for national and multinational businesses, including FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, as well as education institutions and high-growth potential SMEs. He is particularly well-known for his expertise in the sports, chemicals, education, transport and retail sectors.

• advising Premier League football clubs in relation to brand protection strategies, anti-counterfeiting and trade mark infringement actions, trade mark licences and other agreements;

• advising a UK-based multinational musical instruments company on Patents County Court litigation involving claims of trade mark infringement and passing off;

• advising a multinational chemicals company in relation to research, development and collaboration agreements, technology licence agreements, material transfer agreements and confidentiality agreements;

• advising a US-based multinational sports and apparel company in relation to trade mark and copyright disputes, as well as anti-counterfeiting matters;

• advising a business on a claim of breach of confidence in relation to the unauthorised use of confidential information by an ex-employee; and

• advising a university on the development and commercialisation of its IP rights, including spin-out and patent licensing strategies.

Ed is a member of the International Trademark Association and a member of the CMO Council's Faculty Leadership Committee on its Protection From Brand Infection program. He speaks regularly at seminars and conferences and has written numerous articles on recent developments in intellectual property law which have been published in The Times, The Guardian, Trademark World and Interbrand’s brandchannel.com, as well as in the local press.

The UK Legal 500 2008/2009 says clients are “very confident in the advice” of Ed Meikle and are impressed by his team’s “quality of work, professionalism and rapport”.

Commenting on Watson Burton's intellectual property practice, Chambers and Partners UK 2008/2009 said, "This IP practice is widely viewed as an up-and-coming new player with a bright future. Its growing reputation is largely due to the presence of Ed Meikle who arrived at the firm in 2007. Renowned in the region for his IP expertise, he brought with him a long list of blue-chip and multinational clients.”