Nick Phillips
Nick is a Partner at Edwin Coe specialising in Intellectual Property and Commercial Services. He combines a practical, commercial approach with deep technical knowledge.
Nick advises clients on the protection, exploitation, and enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as on complex commercial contracts and data protection matters.
Nick joined Edwin Coe in 2013, having previously co‑founded and led the IT/IP department of a large regional firm. He qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and has since built a reputation for clear, pragmatic advice across a wide range of industries. His clients include individual inventors and creatives, SMEs, large corporates, charities, and international organisations.
Expertise
Intellectual Property
Commercial Services
Trade Marks
Data Protection
Commercial Contracts
Domain Names
Credentials
Recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2026
Recommended in WTR 1000 2025
Recognised in WIPR (World IP Review) Leaders Directory since 2023
Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA)
Member of the International Trade Mark Association (INTA)
Member of the Society for Computers & Law
Regularly writes articles and blogs and provides comments on various aspects of intellectual property and IT law
Diploma in Intellectual Property Law & Practice (University of Bristol)
EXPERIENCE
Nick’s experience includes:
Information Technology/E-commerce: Reviewing, advising and assisting in the negotiation of a wide range of contracts in the IT sector including for both customers and suppliers of software and related services.
Information Technology/E-commerce: Drafting and advising on software licences, software support agreements, hardware supply agreements, hardware support agreements and professional services agreements for a wide range of clients.
Information Technology/E-commerce: Advising a number of clients with serious online presences on their terms and conditions of sale to consumers and on compliance with the various e-commerce legislation.
Information Technology/E-commerce: Dealing with a number of issues arising out of the supply of goods and services to consumers online including by amending terms and conditions and liaising with trading standards.
Intellectual Property: Strategic advice to a number of international companies on the enforcement of their intellectual property rights including liaising with national enforcement agencies and putting appropriate watch notices in place.
Intellectual Property: Advising an international ceramics business in relation to High Court copyright infringement proceedings.
Intellectual Property: Advice on the intellectual property aspects of a number of corporate transactions.
Intellectual Property: Bringing and defending cancellation proceedings at OHIM and subsequent appeals to OHIM’s Boards of Appeal and the European General Court.
Intellectual Property: Giving and co-ordinating advice on the use and registrability of a number of trade marks and designs worldwide.
Data Protection: Advising an international business with a customer database containing several million records on a number of issues including on the sale and use of that data, on the collection and use of new data and on the purchase of data from third parties in the UK and worldwide.
Data Protection: Drafting and advising on data protection policies and the compliance with data protection legislation generally.
Data Protection: Acting for the purchaser of a number of customer databases and advising on the related transfer of data to the United States.
Data Protection: Advising a national charity on data protection issues including in relation to a number of issues involving sensitive personal data.
Domain Names: Independent expert under Nominet’s Dispute Resolution Service to determine .uk domain name disputes since 2005.
Domain Names: Drafting and advising on a number of domain name transfer agreements.
Domain Names: Strategic advice on domain name portfolios in connection with corporate transactions and on a standalone basis.
Domain Names: Acting for parties in a number of domain name disputes in the High Court and using the more informal dispute resolution procedures available through Nominet, WIPO and EURid.
Nick Phillips counts SMEs, charities, and international organisations among his key roster of clients.
The Legal 500 UK 2025
Nick Philips has very good cooperation, interpersonal and professional skills. He is excellent, especially in trade mark and design law.
The Legal 500 UK 2023
Nick Phillips is an expert in domain name disputes.
The Legal 500 UK 2022
Nick Phillips takes time to understand the client's business and the challenges faced and looks for realistic solutions; he is a pleasure to work with.
The Legal 500 UK 2020