David Barron

Head of IP work in the high-technology sector. The team has cutting-edge expertise in software, telecoms and electronics patent issues across a broad range of industries.

Tel: +44 (0)121 214 1022

Email: david_barron@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

High-tech patent litigation, the inter-relationship between patents and technical standards, IP litigation.

Highlight of your career so far?

Winning the top IP firm in the 2007 Managing Intellectual Property awards, thanks to the combined efforts of eleven years of hard work building an outstanding IP team.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

I resolved a mediation in a high-profile patent dispute in the Far East in relation to a critical business issue for both parties. We stepped off the flight straight into a four-day mediation during which we hardly had any sleep. Despite at least one mediator clearly being biased for the 'home' side, we settled five minutes before leaving to catch the flight home, having obtained a very favourable outcome for our client.

What about outside the UK?

The vast majority of the work I do is for non-UK clients or clients with multi-jurisdictional issues. As a consequence, we have worked directly in most of the world's leading jurisdictions. I have particular experience of acting for US clients and managing their IP issues across Europe.

An example of your great client service?

I'd like to think that I do this all day, every day. I equate lawyers to waiters in restaurants - if the customer wants it, the customer gets it, whether or not it is on the menu!

Best example of a creative legal solution?

I managed to obtain an eight country deal for a client who came to us looking to enforce a patent in the UK alone. By asking the court for an unprecedented extra-territorial injunction, our opponents folded and agreed to an order restraining them from infringing in five European and three Far Eastern countries. Our client managed to keep its European business from closing as a result and saved the costs and hassle of eight separate litigations with uncertain outcomes.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

Well, I ran a 7km charity race dressed as a gorilla - and, no, there are no photos (not any that you are going to see, anyway!).

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

'Highly skilled, intelligent and knowledgeable' - Legal 500 2007/08.