Robert Cooper is an expert in contentious matters concerning all aspects of intellectual property and IT. Acknowledged for his IP Law expertise in ‘World's Leading Patent Law Practitioners 2009 and 2010, ‘Asia IP 2010’, Intellectual Asset Management's ‘The World's Leading Patent and Technology Licensing Lawyers 2010’ and ‘Best Lawyers in Australia 2009. The Legal 500 recently described Robert as 'client-focused, pragmatic and having significant respect throughout the industry'.
Robert has 19 years' experience in handling all aspects of IP advice, disputes, licensing issues and trade mark registrations. Robert is a partner in the team that recently won MIP's Global Awards ‘Australian Contentious IP Firm of the Year 2010’.
Robert has substantial experience in patent disputes in areas such as business methods, methods of treatment, mobile telecommunications, pharmaceutical compounds and processes, financial services, multi-valent vaccines, mechanical devices, heavy engineering, industrial refrigerants and various consumer goods. He has experience in acting in substantial multi-jurisdictional patent disputes for patentees and revokers.
Robert successfully acted for Sweet Rewards in its defence of a trade mark infringement, passing off and misleading and deceptive conduct claim brought by Mars Australia in the Federal Court and on appeal in the Full Federal Court, which claimed that his client's ‘Malt Balls’ product came too close to the iconic packaging for ‘Maltesers’ (recently cited by Asia IP as a ‘case of the year’).
He is presently advising Incitec Pivot Limited in a substantial confidential information claim in the Supreme Court of Victoria regarding a business method.
Robert advises clients in complex IT disputes. He has a Masters degree in Computing and has successfully acted for telecommunications, publishing and e-commerce clients in this field.
Robert is a registered trade marks attorney and co-manages the trade marks practice in the Melbourne centre. He manages the trade mark protection needs of a range of Australian and international clients. Robert also advises clients on strategic IP licensing issues, especially where relationships become strained or disintegrate.
In conjunction with his Australian litigation expertise, Robert is also qualified to practise in England and Wales. He has a broad background acting for clients in the High Court and Appeal Court in England.
Robert was on the National Board of LESANZ (Licensing Executives Society) for many years as both secretary and editor and regularly writes and presents to clients and at national and international conferences on topics such as life sciences patent disputes, business method patents and tactics in patent and IP litigation, personal liability in IP disputes, interlocutory injunctions, managing major IT disputes, trade mark licensing and anti-counterfeiting strategies. Robert also edits King & Wood Mallesons' renowned annual Patent Case Review.
Robert is also the Responsible Partner in the Melbourne office for our Human Rights Law Group and led the successful King & Wood Mallesons team in the urgent constitutional High Court of Australia voter enrolment challenge which enabled 100,000 additional Australians to vote at the August 2010 Federal Election.