The Patent 1000 focuses exclusively on patent practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal patent expertise.
Recommended - Individuals: prosecution
Since its establishment in the 19th century, Davies Collison Cave (DCC) has been the go-to firm in Australia for precision prosecution. Its patent drafting practice consistently files among the highest number of originating applications across all technical disciplines. Once again topping the prosecution table, the outfit boasts a wide-ranging technical expertise that only a few can match. Its scientifically adept patent attorneys have been entrusted by a raft of household names, including Novartis, BAE Systems and Microsoft, CSL Limited, Telstra and CSIRO. Under the stewardship of managing principal David Webber, the 50-strong IP outfit is hallmarked by its superior technical ability and client care. Known as a nimble operator, he is as adroit at drafting patents as he is in providing infringement briefs and freedom-to-operate advice. Joining him as the IAM Patent 1000 ranked practitioners are a raft of star attorneys which includes Michael Caine, Ross Clark, Hannah Brown, Alex Tzanidis, Gavin Recchia and Alistair Smith. A guiding light in intellectual property, the organic chemistry and pharmaceutical group leader Caine currently serves as president of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia, where he has been a member since 2001. An electrical engineer by trade, Clark takes a special interest in green technology and is always passionate about devising the optimal IP strategies for his clientele. Physics doctorate holder Brown advises on a wide range of technologies, including information and communications technology, microelectronics and physics. With a technical background in biology, Tzanidis has been busy on developing commercially focused patent strategies for the global and domestic markets. Recchia is another biologist in the line-up. He has unrivalled expertise in matters relating to devices for use in medical treatment, diagnostics and molecular biology research, and lectures widely on biotechnology patenting issues. Cambridge graduate Smith draws judiciously on his UK and European drafting experience, and now heads up the medical devices practice. Although DCC is traditionally known for its prosecution offering, it is increasingly making incursions in the contentious space. The outfit has regularly been one of Australia's top filers of new IP cases in the Federal Court of Australia and has been instructed in a number of seminal Australian IP law disputes. Ian Pascarl, Chris Jordan and Paul Dewar are pillars of the IP dispute side. IP all-rounder Pascarl has a proven track record of success in numerous IP disputes throughout his career. Jordan has made frequent appearances before all levels of the Australian courts in a number of significant IP litigation matters. Last but not least, Dewar has a particular insight into pharmaceutical patent litigation and detailed understanding of the operation of the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.