Laurie is a Partner in the Business Law department, based at the firm’s Guildford office.
Laurie read anthropology and human sciences at UCL and Oxford before starting his legal life as a barrister, initially working as in-house counsel for Glaxo SmithKline and then Kellogg Company. He subsequently qualified as a solicitor and moved into private practice with an emphasis of commercial and intellectual property (IP) matters. Laurie now joins TWM Solicitors having previously worked for other law firms in Guildford and elsewhere.
From the beginning Laurie has dealt with transactional IP matters including software licencing, as well as disputes relating to patents, trade marks, designs, copyright and confidential information. He has a reputation for explaining IP matters transparently when acting in connection with the exploitation and enforcement of all IP rights, in mediation proceedings, and in actions in the Intellectual Property Office and the courts.
Laurie’s significant commercial practice includes drafting and advice on IP licences and franchises, sponsorship, joint venture, non-disclosure, procurement, agency, distribution, manufacturing agreements, internet sales terms and policies and also standard terms and conditions.
He has longstanding experience of data privacy, defamation and information technology matters as well. Much of his work has related to internet and social media issues. Laurie’s clients are typically technology businesses, media entities, brand owners and manufacturers and distributors in all sectors, ranging from brand-leading international businesses to SMEs, start-up enterprises and creative individuals. He has acted for clients in the technology, media and education sectors as well as for several household names in the world of consumer goods.
Laurie advocates early and pro-active approaches to every situation. He maintains that it is every client’s best interest to ensure that it has consistent and enforceable contract terms and an understanding of the relevant IP rights and how they are secured and protected. Laurie brings commercial and pragmatic solutions to every situation. In this way contractual and IP disputes are usually avoided but where they do arise, they are dealt with in a sensible and cost-effective way.
Laurie is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.
Out of the office, he enjoys cookery, wine, reading history and travelling near and far.
