John Lee

John’s experience includes advising:

• Aristocrat v Commissioner of Patents - This was a comprehensive finding in Aristocrat’s favour upholding the patentability of EGMs. The outcome John achieved has been described as “a rare victory” in the very contentious area of patentability of computer related inventions.
• 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.
• REC Technologies - Representing this global manufacturer of solar cell technology in defending Federal Court patent infringement claims brought by Korean company Hanwha.
• 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 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.
• Advising ResMed on multi-jurisdictional patent litigation contrary to Fisher & Paykel.
• 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.