AJ Park

Recommended - Firms: litigation

Highly-recommended - Firms: prosecution

For more than 130 years AJ Park has not only maintained its burnished reputation as the country’s prosecution outfit par excellence, it also remains “a top-tier firm for IP-related services in the Asia-Pacific”. Unrivalled in both the scale and breadth of its practice, the IPH-affiliated outfit has earned the loyalty of both national household names and global Fortune 500 companies. A total of 104 scientifically proficient fee-earners are spread between its Auckland and Wellington offices, delivering one of the most comprehensive patent services in Australasia. At the forefront of the disputes group are Paul Johns and Helen Bellchambers. With almost 20 years of commercial litigation experience under his belt, Johns manages and resolves IP disputes with dexterity. After obtaining a degree in genetics and practising as a barrister and a solicitor, the versatile Bellchambers is a member of both the life sciences patents team and the dispute resolution team. Working alongside her in the chemical and life sciences sphere are principals Anton Gibson, Jeremy Sim and Duncan de Geest. Practising in the IP field since the 1990s, Gibson is a highly regarded biotech and life sciences IP strategist. Chemical and process engineering specialist Sim has a real affinity for thermodynamics, rheology and distillation inventions. A chemist by trade, de Geest specialises in nanotechnology, material science, medical devices, small-molecule pharmaceuticals and process technology. He cultivates longstanding relationships with an illustrious array of clientele, ranging from multinationals and research institutes to universities in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. On the engineering and information technology (IT) side, Michael Brown spearheads the group in Wellington with his fascinating mix of technical, legal and business acumen. Other engineering and IT stars include Chris Way, Andy Locke, Hadleigh Brown, Anton Blijlevens and David Simunic. Qualified as a patent attorney in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australasia, Way draws judiciously on his experience in Europe to defend the interests of his domestic and overseas service users to the hilt. Previously a patent attorney in the United Kingdom, Locke always prioritises the commercial objectives of businesses and approaches IP difficulties with the utmost pragmatism. A seasoned patent attorney, Brown specialises in all aspects of patent and design law, and he often extends his practice to devising design-around or risk-mitigation strategies for IP infringement. Mechanical engineer Blijlevens is a trusted adviser for patrons looking to protect and commercialise their innovations. Simunic holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and regularly advises some of New Zealand’s largest and best-known manufacturing exporters on international patent law. Meanwhile, Wes Jones excels at getting signatures on the dotted line of IP-rich deals. Drafting, licensing and technology transfer agreements all fall within his remit.