Charlotte Fleetwood-Smith

I am a senior associate in Fieldfisher’s Intellectual Property Group having joined from a leading national litigation practice in New Zealand.

I frequently act for financial services, utilities, technology, consumer goods, media and e-Commerce clients on:

• enforcing and defending “mission critical” intellectual property rights with specialities in confidential information, trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs.  My work has previously led to recognition as a "Rising Star" by Managing IP.     
• data, privacy and cyber security issues including incident response, regulator notification, regulatory investigations by data protection regulators and associated litigation arising from data incidents and breaches of data subjects' rights.
• media and advertising issues including defamation and reputation management, misleading and deceptive practices by businesses, advertising standards complaints and investigations by the consumer affairs regulator in relation to business conduct; and
• disputes, litigation and mediation arising out of breach of contract and general commercials disputes between parties. 

My disputes experience has been gained in front of different levels of the courts, relevant tribunals and before regulators.  My past experience includes:

• working on a high profile “without notice” injunction for copyright, misuse of confidential information and defamation claims against a media outlet;
• acting for a financial services client in proceedings seeking to restrain a competitor entering into market under its valuable and iconic branding;
• advising on a high value breach of confidence dispute for a FMCG client for theft of its confidential information by a sub-contractor and acting on complex breach of confidence proceedings for a funds manager;
• acting for a major telecommunications provider on a significant ransomware attack and representing a range of leisure and e-Commerce clients in relation to data protection regulator investigations; and
• acting in High Court proceedings for leading media and power companies in breach of contract disputes.

To the side of my contentious practice, I have a long track record in advising clients on protecting and commercialising their valuable IP and data, and providing specialist support on transactional work.