Preeminent
Peter Campbell – Kelly & Co
Leading
Sandy Donaldson – Donaldson Walsh
Rob Kennett – Kelly & Co
Josh Simons – Minter Ellison
Greg Tye – Norman Waterhouse
Recommended
Luke Dale – Kelly & Co
David Gaszner – Thomsons Lawyers
Belinda Grant – Kelly & Co
Michael Hutton – Lynch Meyer
John MacPhail – Finlaysons
Tim O’Callaghan – Piper Alderman
Adrian Tembel – Thomsons Lawyers
Editorial Overview
First Tier
Kelly & Co’s work across the span of “soft” IP matters within both contentious and non-contentious aspects leads the South Australian market. Integrating smoothly with the firm’s nationally regarded media and entertainment practice. Peter Campbell is viewed as one the market’s most “efficient” and “technical” litigators, Practice head Rob Kennett and young partner Luke Dale also gained mentions.
Second Tier
Minter Ellison’s Josh Simons and Richard Pash continue to sit out the front of the South Australian non-contentious intellectual property market. Simons’ “commercial and practice approach” earns the respect of peers.
Third Tier
The generational change underway within both the firm generally and within the intellectual property practice at Donaldson Walsh placed the firm below it’s usual lofty status in the South Australian intellectual property market. Nonetheless the standing of firm founder Sandy Donaldson continues to shine within non-contentious matters and particularly those across IP commercialisation.
Finlaysons work within the technology and wine industries draws the firm praise. The “likeable and professional” John MacPhail’s work on copyright and trademark issues drew favour.
In a market not flush with patent disputes Norman Waterhouse has carved an unusual niche but it is one well earned. Partner Greg Tye earns the favour of the state’s patent attorneys and is one of the few South Australian practitioners to gain national recognition.
Piper Alderman’s contentious IP practice was well regarded by peers. Firm Chairman Tony Abbott enjoys a strong reputation for his work on softer contentious IP matters while Tim O’Callaghan’s distinctive litigation style saw one competitor describing him as “always up for the fight”.
Thomsons Lawyers’ expertise on the IP aspects of commercial transactions as well as capabilities on commercialisation and trademark gained note. David Gaszner, also a generalist litigator, earns the respect of peers.