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.
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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Thomson Reuters' Stand-out Lawyers 2024 and 2025
Thomson Reuters' Stand-out Lawyer 2024 and 2025 nominated by clients.
Publications
The UKIPO’s consultation on changes to UK design law and its possible impact on fashion designs
View publication online
Good practice in contentious proceedings before the UKIPO: an interview with barrister Victoria Jones
View publication online
The Edwards vs Boohoo case and other notable fashion IP cases : an interview with Andrew Norris KC and Becky Knott
View publication online
Creativity and a designers freedom in EU Registered and Unregistered Designs: The Deity Shoes Advocate General Opinion
View publication online
The Fashion Law LLM and fashion IP cases past, present and future: an interview with Professor Johanna Gibson
View publication online
Fashionably IP Episodes 1-9 - podcast exploring hot topics in the world of fashion and intellectual property
View publication online
Does a design have to be disclosed first in the EU to benefit from Community Unregistered Design Right?
View publication online
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.
View publication online
Conferences: 2023
22nd September 2023
pro-manchester Creative Conference
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Conferences: 2022
1st December 2022
HGF's IP in Retail Conference London 2022
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30th April 2022
INTA 2022 Annual Meeting Live+
Attended
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31st March 2022
HGF Complete webinar: trade mark opposition and invalidity proceedings
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Conferences: 2021
20-04-2021
Intellectual Property Owners Association Spring Summit
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20th April 2021
IPOwners Spring Summit 2021
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Conferences: 2020
31st December 2020
HGF Complete: Brexit Webinars
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1st December 2020
HGF IP in Retail online training events
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04-11-2020
WIPO Conversation on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Third Session
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3rd September 2020
HGF webinar: The rise of AI. What happens when you take the human out of trade mark law?
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3rd March 2020
IP in Healthcare Conference 2020
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Conferences: 2019
3rd December 2019
IP in Retail Conference Amsterdam 2019
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17th October 2019
Artificial Intelligence: Challenges for Intellectual Property Law - Brussels
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24th September 2019
IP in Retail Conference 2019 - London & Leeds
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14th March 2019
“Can robots invent and create? A dialogue between Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property” - Alicante
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31st January 2019
USPTO - Artificial Intelligence: Intellectual Property Policy Considerations - Virginia
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Conferences: 1970
16th August 2023
HGF's 9th Annual IP in Retail Conference 2023
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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.
