Roland Mallinson

Roland is the head of our Brand Management group in the UK. For over 20 years he's advised major international brand and technology owners on their IP rights. Clients describe Roland as a tactically smart, solutions-focused, and commercially-minded. He's responsible for the international trade mark portfolios and IP advisory work for numerous household name brands.

Roland advises on the full range of contentious and non-contentious "soft" IP matters, including: trade mark, designs and copyright disputes and litigation, lookalikes, anti-counterfeiting, domain name and content infringements, trade mark clearance, prosecution, oppositions and strategic portfolio advice, comparative advertising, and all types of commercial transactions involving these rights.

He's led first instance and appeal cases in the English courts, the UKIPO, the EUIPO and CJEU and taken part in a number of successful mediations, and regularly coordinates crossborder IP litigation in the EU.

Outside of private practice, Roland sits on the Executive Board of MARQUES, the European brand owners association, where he chairs the Brexit Task Force. He also sits on the Law Society's IP Law Committee, and is a member of the EUIPO's quality audit panel.

Roland comments on IP related matters of national interest with media outlets including the BBC.

Show full CV Hide full CV

Career

Since 2006	Partner, Taylor Wessing
2001 - 2006	Partner and Head of Trade Marks, Linklaters
2000 - 2001	Managing Associate, Linklater (Paris)

1998 - 2000	Managing Associate, Linklaters (London)
1994 - 1998	Associate, Linklaters
1992 -1994	Trainee solicitor, Linklaters

More Less

Education

1995	Diploma, Intellectual Property Law, University of Bristol
1994	Admitted to the Bar, England and Wales
1992	Law Society Finals, College of Law, London

1991	Common Professional Examination, College of Law, London
1989	BSc Civil Engineering (First Class Hons), University of Edinburgh

More Less

Publications

Brexit is coming, a brand owner's checklist, Lexology, October 2020

Major advance on Brexit and pan-EU intellectual property rights , Practical Law, March 2018

The Implications of Brexit for Trade Mark Proprietors and Trade Mark Practitioners, GRUR Newsletter, January 2018

Kit Kat Shape Mark: Has The EU General Court Pre-Judged The UK Court Of Appeal? Lexology, February 2017

Colour combinations: getting back to WYSIWYG, Managing IP, October 2016

Of Purple Haze and Scrabble Plays: appeal court says "no" to fuzzy trade mark descriptions, IPKat blog, 6 October 2013

Protection of design classics and iconic 3D shapes in English courts, Intellectual Property Magazine May, 2016

PLC Updated Practice Note - Intellectual property issues relating to employees and consultants, LexisPSL Practice Notes on (1) Trade mark litigation in the High Court, (2) Madrid International Trade Mark System, (3) Parallel Imports, (4) Overview of the Community Trade Mark System, and (5) Anti-Counterfeiting and Customs Procedures in the UK, June 2017

Intellectual property issues relating to employees and consultants, PLC Updated Practice Note

Trade mark litigation in the High Court, LexisPSL Practice Note

Madrid International Trade Mark System, LexisPSL Practice Note

Parallel Imports, LexisPSL, Practice Note

Overview of the Community Trade Mark System, LexisPSL Practice Note

Anti-Counterfeiting and Customs Procedures in the UK, LexisPSL Practice Note

Tablet teachings: learning points from the latest Apple v Samsung decisions, World Trademark Review, 1 March 2013

Distinguish IP myths from reality, Managing IP, August 2010

Taylor Wessing Global Intellectual Property Index, Editor

Memberships & Associations

Executive Committee and Governing Council of MARQUES
International Trade Mark Association
Intellectual Property Lawyers Organisation
International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Law Society's Intellectual Property Law Committee
Consultant on intellectual property matters at the Warner Textile Archive

Additional languages

English

French

Expertise

Services and Groups Brands & advertising Copyright & media law

Sectors Technology, media & communications Consumer & retail

Experience

Trade mark portfolio management

Managing the worldwide trade mark portfolio for a leading Scotch whisky and spirits company, including brand and advertising clearance, IP protection for new product development and handling enforcement and other brand-related disputes.

Awards

Chambers and Partners UK 2023	Intellectual Property - Band 1: Roland Mallinson is called upon for his expertise in managing, developing and enforcing company trade mark portfolios. He is one of the most talented trade mark litigators in the UK market. "Roland Mallinson is excellent - very thoughtful, very clever and impressive." "Roland is great - he looks for practical solutions and runs a good team."
Legal 500 UK 2023	IP (trademarks, copyright and design (including trade secrets)) - Ranked: ‘I recommend both Roland Mallinson and Magdalena Borucka. Both have excellent legal knowledge and feel like part of the team.’
Chambers UK 2022	Intellectual Property: "Roland Mallinson has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the market."
Legal 500 Key Lawyer 2022	Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyright and designs
Legal 500 UK 2022	IP - trademarks, copyright and design
World IP Review Leaders Guide 2021	Outstanding IP Practioner

Who's Who Legal Awards 2020	Trade Marks Lawyer of the Year
Chambers Global 2019	Leading individual - Intellectual Property
Chambers UK 2020	Leading individual - Intellectual Property (Band 1): Roland Mallinson is called upon for his expertise in managing, developing and enforcing company trade mark portfolios. He is one of the most talented trade mark litigators in the UK market.
Legal 500 UK 2019	Recommended lawyer - Brand management
Managing Intellectual Property - IP Stars 2019	Trade mark star
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000 UK 2020	Leading individual - Prosecution and strategy (Gold)
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000 UK 2020	“Roland is a sensible, pragmatic litigator who will try to find a commercial response. An impressive person who is hard wired into all of the associations and pressure groups, he does a lot for the industry in general. He has a community-minded approach and is extremely visible.”
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000 UK 2020	He is one of only two lawyers in the UK to be top ranked in all of the categories of Enforcement & Litigation, Prosecution & Strategy and Anti-Counterfeiting by World Trade Mark Review's WTR1000 directory of the world's leading trade mark lawyers (annually since 2011).
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000 UK 2020	Leading individual - Enforcement and litigation (Gold): Versatile and incisive head of brand management Roland Mallinson is featured in three WTR 1000 tables this year. He is a hook for complex anti-counterfeiting, litigation and prosecution matters. “Roland is a sensible, pragmatic litigator who will try to find a commercial response. An impressive person who is hard wired into all of the associations and pressure groups, he does a lot for the industry in general. He has a community-minded approach and is extremely visible.”
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000 UK 2020	Leading individual - Anti counterfeiting
Chambers UK 2019	Leading individual - Intellectual Property (Band 1): Roland Mallinson is one of the most respected contentious and commercial trade mark lawyers working in London today. A client describes him as "excellent, very user-friendly, knowledgeable and commercially focused."
Legal 500 UK 2018	Recommended lawyer - Brand management
Chambers Global 2018	Leading individual - Intellectual Property
Chambers Global 2017	Leading individual - Intellectual Property

More Less

Meet me at

There are no upcoming events

See all events