Suzy is an intellectual property, commercial contracts and technology specialist with over 16 years private practice experience. She acts for clients across a range of industries including finance, fast-moving consumer goods, technology, advertising, manufacturing, gaming and fashion. A dual-practicing English and Australian lawyer experienced at cross-border matters, Suzy’s clients are drawn from the UK, Europe, Australia and the US and include tech startups, SMEs and global brand owners.
Suzy has been recognised by the UK’s Legal 500 for her skills in relation to Brand Management and Commercial Contracts.
Suzy’s expertise includes:
Commercial: Suzy can advise on a broad range of commercial matters including manufacturing, distribution and supplier contracts, terms of supply of goods and services, consultancy contracts, and non-disclosure agreements.
Technology: Drawing on experience gained at one of the UK’s leading technology law firms, Suzy advises on technology-related issues such as software development and licensing, reseller agreements, e-retailer terms and liability, commercialisation of assets including data, website and mobile application terms of use, and social media law.
Intellectual Property: Holding a post-graduate qualification in IP law, Suzy advises on trade marks, patents, copyright, design rights, confidential information and domain names. Her expertise includes trade mark portfolio strategy and registration, IP infringement actions, commercialisation of IP, trade mark and patent licences, licensing disputes, digital copyright matters, misuse of confidential information and domain name recovery.
In-House: In addition to her deep private practice experience, Suzy is also a skilled in-house lawyer, having led the Northern European legal team of multinational FMCG manufacturer, Reckitt Benckiser. Her in-house background means Suzy can effectively engage with stakeholders across a business and can assess legal issues in a business context.
Disputes: Suzy has represented clients in the English High Court, before trade mark registries and via alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation. Suzy can advise on pre-litigation strategy, termination of contract options and settlement terms.
English Law: With over 13 years’ experience practising in the UK and retaining her right to practice English law, Suzy is uniquely placed to support her Australian clients with operations in the UK (engaged in this capacity via our sister firm, Keystone Law).
Suzy is based in Melbourne.
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Suzy is a pleasure to work with. She is highly commercial in her approach and provides thoughtful, pragmatic and timely legal advice.
EMEA Head of Technology and IP law, Top Tier Global Investment Bank
Expertise
- Commercial contracts
- Software development, assignment and licensing
- Trade mark registration and cease and desist actions
- Outsourced in-house team support
- Copyright ownership, licensing and infringement
- Breach of contract and termination of contracts advice
- Website and mobile apps terms and conditions and related contracts
- Breach of confidence actions
- Brand protection
- Patenting strategy and licensing
- Trade mark disputes
- Marketing and advertising law including advertising regulation
- Domain name disputes
- Social media law
- Removal of infringing online content
- Evidence gathering, including IT forensics
Experience
- Negotiating and drafting commercial contracts on behalf of Reckitt Benckiser.
- Preparing online B2C supply terms for a successful technology company.
- Assisting an innovative software company to identify, capture and protect their inventions, including advising on patenting strategy.
- Preparing venue hire and services agreements for a global FMCG and media brand.
- Advising an online marketplace on its B2C terms and liability for supplier default.
- Brand cease and desist actions on behalf of an established online retailer including domain name recovery.
- Preparing software development contracts for a leading technology company.
- Providing strategic, cross-border trade mark registration advice for well-known brands.
- Advising a financial services technology company on intellectual property rights in their software and data products.
- Drafting standard form Terms of Supply terms for an Australian manufacturer.
- Advising luxury fashion brands regarding the protection of their IP including representing them in trade mark opposition proceedings.
- Acting for a multinational software provider to enforce their software licensing terms and recover damages relating to unpaid licence fees.
- Providing copyright law advice to a media content owner relating to online publication of film content and the fair dealing defence.
- Litigation on behalf of a company against its ex-employee, involving misuse of confidential information and passing off.
- Managing a complex international investigation into defamatory statements and the misuse of confidential business data by an ex-employee.
Recognition
Suzy is recognised by the UK’s Legal 500 2017 for her expertise in relation to Commercial Contracts and Brand Management.
Suzy is a qualified solicitor in three jurisdictions:
- Admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand on 14 June 2002
- Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria on 11 September 2002
- Admitted as a Solicitor in England & Wales on 16 August 2010
Suzy holds a post graduate diploma in Intellectual Property Law & Practice, obtained from Bristol University in the UK. This diploma is recognised as the leading qualification for IP lawyers practising in the UK.
Career
| 2017 | Keypoint Law (Melbourne) | Consulting Principal (Australian law) |
| 2016 | Keystone Law | Consultant Solicitor (British law) |
| 2010 – 2016 | Kemp Little, | Senior Associate |
| 2005 – 2010 | Speechly Bircham LLP (London) | Solicitor |
| 2002 – 2004 | Clayton Utz (Melbourne) | Solicitor |
| 2002 | Qualified as a solicitor |