Christopher Young

Chris heads the firm’s national Intellectual Property (IP) team. He excels in IP law, has an extensive practice and a significant reputation nationally and internationally. His team is one of the largest specialist IP teams in New Zealand corporate law firms.

Chris is very well-known locally and internationally. He has more than 20 years’ experience as a specialist intellectual property lawyer with a wide practice including trademarks, licensing, commercialisation, transactional IP and IP strategy. He has been actively involved in the International Trademarks Association (INTA) and the International Bar Association (IBA) for years, served on a range of important committees, chaired INTA’s East Asia Pacific Famous Marks subcommittee, currently co-chair (Asia Pacific) of Bulletin Committee, served on the Parallel Imports Committee, Internet Committee and the Asia Pacific Global Advisory Council.

Chris is also recognised locally and internationally as a leading advisor on the IP aspects of corporate transactions. The increased importance of IP to businesses and its complexity means Chris’s expertise is a significant differentiator. Chris also acts for many local New Zealand exporters (including privately owned and SME businesses) managing their IP worldwide, including IP strategy, portfolio management, counterfeits, and other disputes.

Chris has repeatedly been recognised as a leading individual in numerous legal guides for years including Chambers Asia Pacific, World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000, and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and is an IP Star in Managing IP. He has also been the winner of the ILO Client Choice Awards for Trademarks from 2013-2019. He is also widely recognised for work acting for a range of major independent film and television studios predominately in the United States in the IP-intensive film production sector.

Chris’ overseas experience includes working in London and he completed post graduate studies in intellectual property at Queen Mary College, University of London.