Mr Mrs Miss Ms Dr Other

Mr
Lee
Curtis

Partner & Trade Mark Attorney
Divisional Head

Manchester Office London Office

Trade marks

Telephone. +44(0) 161 247 4900
Mobile. +44(0) 759 524 3078
Email. lcurtis@hgf.com
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Experience

Lee has nearly 30 years’ experience of the trade mark and design law in the UK and overseas having qualified as a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in 1996.

He advises and manages the design and trade mark portfolios of some of the leading brands in the United Kingdom and across the globe.

Lee also has extensive experience of filing and prosecuting trade mark applications, oppositions, revocation and invalidity actions before the European Union Intellectual Property Office, World Intellectual Property Organisation and across the globe.

Lee has extensive experience of the enforcement and preservation of design and trade mark rights. This includes the conduct of hearings before the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office and appeals to the Appointed Person, enforcement of trade mark rights through trading standards provisions and online. He has also successfully prosecuted numerous domain actions under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) before WIPO and through the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) of Nominet.

In August 2010, Lee obtained a Trade Mark and Design Litigators Certificate giving him the right to conduct litigation in the Chancery Division of the High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court in relation to trade mark, design and passing off matters.

Lee has been widely quoted and has spoken on IP matters in the press and on radio and TV, notably in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, The Times, The Sunday Times, BBC Radio 4 and BBC1.

Specialisms

Industries

Services

Qualifications

Trade Mark Attorney

Chartered (UK)

BSC

BSc (Hons) Economics

Recognition

WTR1000 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

"Curtis is a penetrative strategic thinker who devises innovative solutions that quickly get to the crux of his clients’ issues. " (WTR1000 2025) "Lee Curtis is smart, efficient and seemingly answers emails 24 hours a day. He is sensitive to the needs of his clients and is an indispensable part of the team when working on worldwide strategies.” (WTR1000 2024) "Lee is one of the most knowledgeable trademark specialists in Europe, both on issues relating to the UK as well as EU IP rights and trademarks in particular. He has a wealth of knowledge on practical aspects of IP practice and an in-depth understanding of clients’ business needs.” (WTR1000 2021) Lee is also ranked under the WTR1000 listing as a 'Gold Individual' under United Kingdom for "prosecution and strategy".

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MP IP Stars (Trade Marks) 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

“always provides practical solutions to issues" (MIP IP Stars 2017) "Curtis gives “quick, no-nonsense advice which is tailored to the client’s business activities and needs”. Another client appreciates Curtis’s “transparency about costs”. (MIP IP Stars 2018) "Very knowledgeable in the retail industry on IP-related matters. Posts very informative articles." (MIP IP Stars 2025) Lee was also nominated as 'Trade Mark Attorney of the Year' for United Kingdom (England) in the Managing Intellectual Property Awards 2024.

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Legal500 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

“experienced, practical and solution-oriented" (Legal 500, 2017) "Lee Curtis is the key name in Manchester." (Legal 500, 2025)

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World Trademark Review Global Leader: Private Practice in 2023, 2024 and 2025

World Trademark Review Global Leaders listing in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

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Nominated for United Kingdom (England) Trade Mark Attorney Managing Intellectual Property Awards 2024

Nominated for the UK Trade Mark Attorney of the Year 2024 for the Managing Intellectual Property Awards.

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World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) Leader 2025

WIPR Leader 2025

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Thomson Reuters' Stand-out Lawyers 2024 and 2025

Thomson Reuters' Stand-out Lawyer 2024 and 2025 nominated by clients.

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Publications

WIPO Magazine: Trademark Law Playing Catch-up with Artificial Intelligence?

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Video recording of four person panel I took part in at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia on 31st January 2019 on Artificial Intelligence: Intellectual Property Considerations.

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CITMA Review: A right royal rout: June 2020

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AI is Changing How Products are Bought and by Definition Will Change Trade Mark Law

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Alexa, ‘what’s the impact of AI on trademark law?’

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The impact of AI on IP Law in the world of fashion

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Conferences: 2021

20-04-2021

Intellectual Property Owners Association Spring Summit

Speaker

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Conferences: 2020

05-11-2020

CITMA Autumn Conference

Speaker

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04-11-2020

WIPO Conversation on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Third Session

Speaker

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CSR

Past member of the Public Relations (PR) Committee of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA).  Member of the organising panel for CITMA conferences.

Past Examiner (trade mark paper) for the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys.

Past contributor CITMA European Trade Mark Handbook.

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