Melanie is a Partner in the Intellectual Property and Media teams specialising in the resolution of disputes involving intellectual property, and the law of defamation and privacy.

Melanie’s intellectual property work includes:

• enforcement and protection of clients’ intellectual property
• disputes relating to the infringement of trade marks
• passing off
• unlawful use of confidential information and trade secrets
• the infringement of (registered and unregistered) designs, copyright and patents

The sectors to which Melanie’s expertise extends include:

• retail
• textile, fashion and manufacturing
• creative, digital and media industries

Melanie also has a particular interest in trade libel and reputation management, particularly in the context of social media and networking platforms, and the management of adverse or intrusive media coverage of clients’ business interests or personal lives.

Melanie has been regularly appointed by the court to act as supervising solicitor in executing search and seize orders, and has recognised experience of search orders from all perspectives (whether claimant, defendant or supervising solicitor). 

Melanie’s clients have described her as “brilliant”, and her advice and responsiveness as being critical to getting the right result.

Best career moment: Being commended by the Head of a department of a national firm of solicitors following the first time I acted as a supervising solicitor in the execution of a search and seize order. The claim concerned the misuse of alleged confidential information and intellectual property rights. I supervised a very difficult search which ran late into the night, with emotions and tensions running high. I ensured the search was carried out professionally and thoroughly, whilst strictly adhering to the checks and balances built into the search order. 

Concluding the search on the basis that both the claimant’s and the defendant’s legal teams were satisfied that the search had been executed fairly, and not “dropping the ball” under intense pressure, when my actions during the course of the day would later be scrutinised by the court and the parties, was an incredible feeling.

Melanie gained a Distinction from Nottingham Law School in the Post-Graduate Diploma in commercial intellectual property, and was short listed in the Young Lawyer of the Year category in the Insider North West Young Professional Awards 2010.  She was also awarded Pannone Lawyer of the Year in 2010.

Melanie’s clients include corporate organisations and their directors, together with high profile individuals.

Notable cases include:

• the reported case of Wasabi Frog Limited -v- Miss Boo and Gulfraz Mohammed [2009] EWHC 2767 (Ch), which judgment was picked up by a number of commentators in the legal press as the case included the reliance, we believe for the first time, by the court on Google AdWords traffic as evidence of confusion
• acting for the influential British singer and musician, Siouxsie Sioux (the vocalist for the internationally well known band Siouxsie & The Banshees, and subsequently The Creatures, who was at the forefront of, and instrumental in, the creation and development of punk rock in the 1970s and subsequently in post-punk, new wave, gothic and alternative rock) in relation to the management of her image rights and the unlawful use by third parties of her stage name
• acting for a former Chief Executive of a plc in relation to a series of defamatory articles which appeared in The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday
• advising and acting on behalf of The Hay Group Management Limited in the protection of their intellectual property and preventing the unauthorised and unlawful use of their confidential information

Melanie consistently achieves a very high standard of client service and has a track record of building strong client relationships. 

Melanie speaks regularly to Manchester businesses on issues of intellectual property infringement and libel law in the context of social media, alongside panellists from Manchester’s leading online specialists.

Melanie is also a member of the Committee for the Manchester branch of the Association of Women Solicitors.