Gemma Pickavant

Having originally joined us in 2016 as a legal assistant, Gemma trained as a solicitor with Harper James and qualified as an intellectual property solicitor in 2021. Gemma has a strong corporate background which enables her to see the bigger picture of a business and informs her strategic advice.

Whilst a company might have certain legal options, those options might not be commercially sustainable for the company. My corporate background means that I don’t get lost in the legal options and can advise on the commercial impacts that a particular deal might have.

Gemma advises primarily on trade mark protection and trade mark portfolio management, and she is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys. She is currently training to become a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney.

Gemma has particular experience in trade mark applications and portfolio management and is able to draw on both her corporate and intellectual property backgrounds to provide tailored advice on trade mark filings and brand strategy, including portfolio management. 

In addition to her strengths on the corporate IP side, Gemma has been involved in numerous cases involving intellectual property infringement, including litigating cases in the IPEC and the High Court.  She is experienced in undertaking trade mark opposition proceedings and has acted in a number of decided cases before the UK IPO. She also has experience in managing copyright infringement claims, particularly those involving software/online infringement and copycat websites.  

Gemma is experienced in dealing with cross-jurisdiction litigation, and she has extensive experience of dealing with trade mark and registered design infringement in China.

In addition to trade mark work, Gemma has considerable experience in dealing with registered designs and she has worked with a well-known jewellery brand to enforce its registered designs against copycat companies. 

I love the variety of my work and also the variety in our client base. I can be working with a software company in the morning and a fashion retailer in the afternoon. I get to know a client’s business in order to understand their strategic objectives in order to advise on the best course of action.

Gemma is able to apply her experience in all intellectual property disciplines and has recently led the capture and documentation of evidence on a cross-jurisdiction patent infringement case.

Outside of work Gemma likes to spend time with family and friends. She enjoys baking and going for walks in the Peak District and is a Brownies and Guides leader.