Profile
Hamish specialises in intellectual property and leads the Buddle Findlay intellectual property team. He has over 25 years experience in IP and has extensive experience advising clients in New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands and overseas.
Hamish advises clients about all aspects of IP, including creation, development, protection, commercialisation, enforcement and management, including copyright, trade marks, registered designs, patents and domain names.
He acts in non-contentious, contentious and transactional IP matters.
Hamish has a wide array of clients across almost all areas of business, which provides him with extensive and specific business sector expertise.
Hamish is privileged to act for some of the world's largest multi-national companies, large New Zealand companies, small-medium sized companies and local and central government clients as well as start-up/early stage businesses, who all entrust their IP rights with him. He is also proud to provide pro bono advice to a well-known international and local not-for profit businesses.
Hamish is a personable and easy to work with practitioner who prides himself on understanding a client and their business, what makes them tick and establishing long term relationships. He does this by providing clear, practical, and tailored legal advice that aligns with client needs and delivers them strong and cost-effective results.
In recognition of his expertise, Hamish is ranked in international legal directories, including Legal 500 (Next Generation Partner), World Trade Mark Review (Silver) and Chambers and Partners (Band 3).
Hamish has a LLB and BSC (Biochemistry) from the University of Otago.
“There is no doubt that if Hamish can’t achieve the outcome you want, nobody can. He finds solutions to the most challenging of cases.”
World Trade Mark
"He is commercially focused, proactive and always responds within a short space of time."
Chambers Asia Pacific 2020
"He has always been very personable to deal with and he has delivered outstanding results"
Legal 500
- Managing IP Asia-Pacific 2023 Awards - Shortlisted for New Zealand Practitioner of the Year
- Executive Committee Member (New Zealand) and Member of Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ)
- Member of International Trade Mark Association (INTA)
- Committee Member of INTA Well-Known and Famous Marks - East Asia and Pacific
Experience
Work highlights
Advising on all aspects of IP matters
including copyright, trade marks, registered designs, patents, domain names and confidential information
Managing IP portfolios of clients
in New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands and overseas
Extensive experience clearing, applying for and registering trade marks
in New Zealand, Australia and overseas for clients, including for new brands and trading names
Advising on trade mark disputes and oppositions
in New Zealand, Australia and overseas, including appearances before the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
Conducting IP due diligence
in connection with the sale and purchase of businesses, including most recently the sale of New Zealand's largest coffee business and the purchase of a large Australasian manufacturing business
Recovering domain names on behalf of rightful owners
from cybersquatters, including Dispute Resolution Services