The 2013 listing of leading Victorian based Intellectual Property barristers details individuals practising within the areas of contentious intellectual property matters in the Victorian legal market who have been identified for their expertise and abilities in these areas. It is compiled on the back of feedback from both solicitors practising within these areas and client referees.
Senior Counsel
Preeminent
Bruce Caine SC – Aickin Chambers
Leading
Colin Golvan SC – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Ross Macaw QC – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Adrian Ryan SC – Joan Rosanove Chambers
David Shavin QC – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Recommended
Barry Hess SC – Owen Dixon Chambers East
Elspeth Strong SC – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Junior Counsel
Preeminent
Garry Fitzgerald – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Ben Fitzpatrick – Aickin Chambers
Andrew Maryniak – Aickin Chambers
Helen Rofe – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Leading
Kate Beattie – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Tom Cordiner – Joan Rosanove Chambers
Ed Heerey – Chancery Chambers
Recommended
Ian Horak – Joan Rosanove Chambers
Melissa Marcus – Dawson Chambers
Felicity Marks – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Luke Merrick – Aickin Chambers
Siobhan Ryan – Douglas Menzies Chambers
Warwick Rothnie – Isaacs Chambers
Jeremy Slattery – Aickin Chambers
Craig Smith – Owen Dixon Chambers West
Commentary
Sitting comfortably atop the Victorian IP bar Bruce Caine SC continues to be the market’s most favoured individual. His “hard working nature”, “application and brilliance” and “ability to read judges very well” were noted and one practitioner viewed him as “probably the best patent silk in the country”.
Although still one of the market’s most junior IP silks, Adrian Ryan SC has as emerged to be perhaps the next in line to Caine. Described as “incredibly hard worker” and “always brilliantly prepared” Ryan’s motivation and service focus were regularly noted. Veteran Ross McCaw QC, when available, was also heavily favoured.
The market’s leading commercial silks (i.e. Alan Archibald QC and Neil Young QC) were also noted.
Within the junior counsel ranks Garry Fitzgerald was “head and shoulders above the rest”, Ben Fitzpatrick was “practical and straight talking” while the likes of Kate Beattie and Helen Rofe’s skill on patent matters was well regarded.
Tom Cordiner was the big mover in our rankings, only narrowly missing out on being placed within the top band. Cordiner’s “science background really seems to help him” and he was seen as “careful, considered and very thorough”.
The relatively small number of individuals featured in our rankings of Senior Counsel above and the corresponding lack of depth within this area of the Victorian bar was a regular cause of concern to a larger number of Victoria’s intellectual property solicitors. So much so that many now brief silks in Sydney as regularly as they do local silks.
Pricing wise quality IP silks typically charge between $7,000 to $9,000 per day while juniors ranked from $3,000 to $5,5oo per day.