Aaron Trebble Legal Director

I have advised IP and data-rich clients across a range of sectors, and can offer expertise in matters where IP, technology and data intersect. As a techie and keen gamer, I am also fortunate to advise regularly on disputes and transactions involving video games and software.

My IP experience covers contentious and non-contentious work, with a focus on enforcing and defending claims in and out of the courtroom. I also support with strategic IP advice and significant R&D, licensing and other IP transactions. I deal with the full range of registered and unregistered rights, and have litigated cases involving patents, trade marks, copyright and designs.

My data protection practice focuses on disputes about cybersecurity, data breaches and data subject rights. I am across the legal, regulatory and tactical issues involved in this specialist area of litigation.

Software, video games and interactive entertainment

• A particular focus on software, video games and technology, with experience supporting a range of companies at different stages, from start-up indies through to AAA video games
• Disputes and advisory work relating to issues such as IP infringement and copying allegations, source code exfiltration, contract disputes, software defects, and licensing disputes (including under-licensing)
• Strategic advice relevant to games and software development, including minimising infringement risk and utilising IP to protect in-game assets
• A detailed understanding of open source software issues with extensive experience of developing user-friendly strategies for tracking and complying with OSS licence terms, and of resolving compliance disputes with OSS licensors
• Drafting and negotiating core tech and IP licences for use in games development, support with EULAs and other general video games agreements, and advising on IP aspects of investments and acquisitions involving games studios

Intellectual property

• Over a decade spent advising on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious IP issues, often with a very high value and an international dimension
• High Court and IPEC litigation covering patents, trade marks, copyright and designs, pre-action disputes work and advice to support settlement negotiations
• Advising on UK and global enforcement strategies to protect household name brands and products, including cease and desist work, customs seizures, counterfeits and look-alikes
• Advice to avoid disputes and minimise risk including content and brand clearance, FTO and prior art searches and strategies to avoid infringement of competitor products and IP
• Drafting and negotiating terms for IP-heavy deals including R&D and licensing agreements, implementing IP policies and IP restructuring (including use of IP holding companies)

Data protection litigation

• Specialist defence of claims arising from cyber incidents, data breaches, data subject access requests, erasure requests and other rights under Data Protection Act and UK GDPR
• High Court and County Court litigation to resolve Data Protection Act and UK GDPR compensation claims, complaints to ICO and Information Rights Tribunal appeals
• Strategic advice to manage claims in connection with incidents affecting multiple individuals, including defence of High Court group litigation
• Defence of small claims at proportionate cost (including use of interim procedure such as strike out applications) and support with responding to claims letters from law firms and litigants in person
• Advice on responding to data subject access requests and other requests under Data Protection Act, including identifying exemptions such as those relevant to pending criminal investigations