Gilbert + Tobin was delighted to be the legal sponsor for the AFR Banking and Wealth Summit, Australia’s premier forum for banking and wealth leaders, regulators, policymakers and stakeholder groups.
Awards and Recognition
- Recognised as Lawyers Weekly IP Partner of the Year 2017
- Chambers Asia-Pacific 2017 ranks John as a recognised practitioner in the Patent category
- Legal 500 ranks John as a recommended practitioner in the Intellectual Property section
- Doyles Guide 2017 names John as a leading patent practitioner
- Best Lawyers list 2017 names John in the Intellectual Property Law category
John is a partner in Gilbert + Tobin’s Intellectual Property group and heads up our Patent sub-practice.
John has many years’ experience dealing with all aspects of intellectual property law with a focus on patent litigation across a range of industries including resources, life sciences, financial services and digital technologies.
He was awarded by Lawyers Weekly IP Partner of the Year in 2017.
John has acted in a number of leading cases in the Federal Court in recent years. He also has considerable expertise in advising leading corporates on strategic IP management. He is a recognised leader in his field.
Legal 500 2017 notes “'Diligent communicator', John Lee is commended for his ‘extensive industry knowledge, attention to detail and customer focus' ".
John has had an outstanding success rate over the last five years including:
- BASF (Ciba Specialty Chemicals) v SNF Australia—A long-running patent litigation relating to a mining technology. John’s client the German chemical company BASF has succeeded at every stage of this patent infringement case against SNF including at first instance in the Federal Court, on appeal to the Full Court and in resisting special leave to the High Court. This complex and hard-fought litigation has multi-jurisdictional reach with parallel actions in Canada and China and John has provided strategic oversight.
- IP Transactional and Regulatory Projects – John regularly advises on IP and regulatory issues arising in transactions and in ongoing compliance regimes. John has extensive experience advising on IP strategy and commercialisation and with the TGA, Pharmaceutical Benefits and Defence Export regimes.
- Aristocrat v Konami—A successful patent infringement claim brought by John’s client Aristocrat against a competitor in relation to Aristocrat’s critical Hyperlink technology. Aristocrat succeeded at first instance and unanimously on appeal. The case is now in the quantum phase for assessment of the damages payable to Aristocrat.
- EnGeneIC—Representing Australian biotech company EnGeneIC in relation to a patent dispute regarding mini-cell technology.
John has been active in establishing Gilbert + Tobin’s g+t<i> group including coordinating filing of patent applications for some of the firm’s legal technology innovations.
John recently appeared before the Productivity Commission in relation to its review of Australia’s intellectual property regime. He has lectured extensively at a number of universities on a range of intellectual property subjects and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
John has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) and is also a registered Patent Attorney.
Assistant
Rachel Veenstra
+61 2 9263 4572
rveenstra@gtlaw.com.au