James Seadon
I am a partner in the Intellectual Property and Technology team and Head of Data Disputes in Fieldfisher's London office.
I advise clients around the world on IP, technology, cybersecurity and privacy, specialising in resolving disputes. I have been featured in legal directories including IP Stars 2018, singling out my "innovative and practical" advice, and Legal 500 UK 2018, where client feedback described me as "absolutely outstanding".
My IP practice includes copyright, database rights, confidential information, trade secrets, designs and trade marks. In franchising my successful reported cases include ChipsAway v Kerr (Court of Appeal) and Carewatch v Focus (High Court).
I have well over a decade's experience in data protection and privacy, primarily cybersecurity, data breach response and data protection litigation (including controller v processor and controller v data subject). I also spent a number of years as an in-house IP and data protection counsel at a multinational telco. I'm a specialist in resolving tech issues, including project disputes.
I have litigation experience up to the Supreme Court but also an excellent track record of resolving complex disputes without involving the courts, for example in mediation. I have taught IP (particularly copyright), amongst others to masters students in the University of Cambridge Institute of Biotechnology and delegates on the Music Publishers Association's induction course.
I chair AIPLA's International Copyright Issues subcommittee. In 2009, I co-founded IPSoc (the society for junior IP practitioners). I was twice elected Chairman, and remained an active committee member for six years.