Claire Lehr is head of the EIP Brands practice and an experienced trademarks specialist having spent more than 15 years in the trademark field.
She provides strategic and tactical advice to clients in a wide range of industry sectors, from electronics and entertainment, including sports, to restaurants and clothing, hospitality, beauty products and online retail.
Claire is highly skilled in international portfolio management and brand protection for major brand owners. She guides clients through the entire lifecycle of brand protection to enforcement, advising on product name clearances, managing filings and prosecution, including oppositions and cancellations at the UKIPO and EUIPO, enforcing brand owners’ rights and cross-border litigation. Claire has a track record in overcoming difficult absolute grounds objections and has a strong interest in non-traditional trademarks, such as colour marks.
Claire joined EIP from the London office of a US law firm where she was instrumental in helping to set up its London trademark practice. Previously, Claire spent ten years living in Germany working for two law firms. In addition, Claire worked in the legal team of Adidas in Amsterdam, with responsibility for trademarks.
Claire frequently speaks at industry conferences and client events and is a keen author. She is an active member of INTA’s Leadership Development Committee and the MARQUES’ Programming Team.
Published articles
- February 2021
Intellectual Property Magazine, Lewis Hamilton's Red Flag (link) - June 2020
WTR Daily, Daisies really are common, according to the General Court (link) - 10 January 2020
WTR Daily, CANNABIS decision: coffee and (space) cakes at the General Court (link) - 22 November 2019
World Trademark Review, Michael Gleissner v Apple and Samsung: millionaire defeated in Benelux and UK (link) - 1 October 2019
WTR Daily, Vega One v Vegas: word elements almost always win (link) - 29 April 2019
WTR Daily, CJEU calls time on The Green Effort Limited v EUIPO case (link) - 8 January 2019
WTR Daily, Spinning around: General Court annuls EUIPO decision revoking SPINNING mark (link) - 7 September 2018
Business Insider, You are your brand - protect it! (link) - August 2018
CITY AM, Why Conor McGregor, Reebok and a Dutch fashion house clashed over a trademark (link) - May 2018
GRUR Newsletter, The Implications of Brexit for Trademark Proprietors and Trademark Practitioners - March 2018
Intellectual Property Magazine, Red card (link) - August 2017
JIPLP, Sweets, cars and bottles – three-dimensional trade marks (link) - July 2016
JIPLP, The local colour of colour marks (link) - June 2017
World Trademark Review, Nestlé loses latest appeal in Kit Kat 3D trademark battle - May 2014
JIPLP, Taking a position (link)
Education and qualifications
-
2007 — 2008
Post Graduate Diploma in Commercial Intellectual Property, Nottingham Law School (Distinction) -
1990 — 1991
Law Society Finals, Leicester Polytechnic -
1989 — 1990
Common Professional Examination, Leicester Polytechnic -
1985 — 1989
MA (Hons) French and German, University of St. Andrews
Career history
- 2018 — present
Partner, EIP - 2015 — 2018
Special Counsel, Cooley (UK) LLP - 2013 — 2015
Senior Associate, Edwards Wildman Palmer UK LLP - 2008 — 2012
Associate/Solicitor, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP - September 2007 — December 2007
Legal Assistant, Jonas Rechtsanwaltgesellschaft mbH - 1999 — 2000
Legal Assistant, Bardehle Pagenberg - 1997 — 1998
Assistant General Counsel (IP), Adidas International BV - 1994 — 1997
Assistant Solicitor, Dalgety PLC - 1991 — 1993
Trainee Solicitor, Norton Rose
Awards and recognition
- WTR 1000, 2021, Ranked in Individuals: prosecution and strategy. Claire provides “critical information along with long-range strategic guidance regarding the protection of existing brand assets and the development of new ones”. (link)
- WTR 1000, 2020, Ranked in Individuals: prosecution and strategy. “Responsive, knowledgeable and switched-on, she provides practical and legally sound solutions, and always has clients’ best interests at heart.”
- Legal 500, 2020. Claire ‘is personable, intelligent, diligent and responsive. She provides very practical and business-focused advice. She has become a trusted adviser.’ (link)
- INTA Non-traditional Trademarks Committee Chairman's Award, 2019
- Legal 500, 2020 (link)
- WTR 1000, The World's Leading Trademark Professionals, 2019. "Claire is intelligent, creative, focused and extremely business-minded. She understands the 'right this minute' mentality that many US corporates have and is incredibly responsive. When it comes to things like billing, there's never any surprises with Claire."
- Legal 500, 2018: Claire "goes above and beyond, and truly delivers in her work".
- Legal 500, 2017. Claire "is noted for her trademark and design rights expertise."
Languages spoken
- German (Fluent)
- French (Fluent)
- Spanish (Intermediate)
Additional information
Memberships:
Law Society
GRUR
MARQUES
INTA
CITMA