Peter has more than twenty-five years’ experience in all aspects of trade mark law, and has particular expertise in handling contentious matters, before both IP offices and the courts.

His practice ranges from conducting trade mark searches for clients, prior to brand launch, managing their registration programmes, and counselling them on the exploitation and enforcement of the trade rights they have obtained.

His recent work has focused on cases in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (a court designed specifically to cater for small to medium sized enterprises with IP disputes) but his experience includes:

  • managing proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union in a registration dispute between a shopping arcade and a German brand owner;
  • conducting trade mark infringement and passing off proceedings, on behalf of a Swiss/German consumer product manufacturer, against a UK department store;
  • representing a Singapore-based magazine proprietor in proceedings against a UK website operator;
  • acting for a German engineering firm in proceedings to prevent parallel import into the EU of its vehicle accessories;
    representing a US brand owner in an action against a reseller of infringing DVDs on an online auction site;
  • acting for a US banking corporation in proceedings against a UK financial trading company;
  • acting for a US banking corporation, on appeal to the courts, in a registration dispute with a UK company;
  • representing a UK brand owner in a dispute with a UK supermarket using allegedly “lookalike” packaging on its own brand goods;
  • assisting a UK sports company, with a handful of employees, in a registration dispute with one of the UK’s largest supermarkets.

He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI).

  • Partner 2017
  • Trade marks & designs
  • Domain Names
  • Disputes
  • Court Procedures
  • BA Classics, St John’s College, Oxford
  • LLB Law (1st class), Birkbeck, University of London
  • IP Litigation and IP Advocacy Course, Nottingham Law School
  • Registered Trade Mark Attorney 2002
  • Higher Courts Litigation Certificate 2013

“Peter Houlihan is a 360-degree operator who 'knows his cases well and has a contingency plan for every eventuality'. He offers sound legal advice without losing track of the overall business goals, manages cases meticulously and responds extremely quickly.”

World Trade Mark Review 1000, 2020

“WTR says "Disputes are the metier of Peter Houlihan, who has lately been ramping up his considerable IPECexperience."”

WTR 2021 – Peter Houlihan

“"Peter Houlihan is ‘spooky’ in that he knows exactly what we want and automatically follows through with solutions."”

LEGAL 500 (TRADE MARKS), 2023

“Peter is a very steady pair of hands. He is measured, thoughtful and pretty unflappable.”

WORLD TRADE MARK REVIEW 2023

“Peter [Houlihan], stands out for his solution-oriented approach and ability to offer up practical solutions to almost any trade mark problem.”

World Trade Mark Review 1000, 2024
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