Practice overview
Thomas is a commercial barrister with particular expertise in intellectual property, commercial litigation, and professional liability. He is instructed both as sole counsel and as part of larger counsel teams across a broad range of disputes, regularly advising and appearing in matters before the High Court, County Court, and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
Recent and current instructions include:
- Acting, led, in an £85 million High Court claim involving allegations of breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy;
- Acting, led, in a dispute concerning contractual entitlement to valuable intellectual property rights;
- Drafting a defence, as sole counsel, in High Court proceedings concerning alleged breaches of restrictive covenants and non-compete obligations;
- Advising a claimant in a multi-track contractual dispute arising from a prohibited investment in cryptocurrency;
- Acting as sole counsel in copyright infringement proceedings in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court concerning the alleged adaptation of literary works into a television series; and
- Advising on the potential liability of solicitors arising from proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Prior to commencing practice, Thomas worked in the Legal Services Department of the University of the Arts London, where he supported solicitors on a wide range of commercial and intellectual property matters. His work included negotiating scientific research and licensing agreements with multinational companies, advising on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property assets, and supporting disputes relating to trade marks, copyright, and cultural property. Earlier in his career, Thomas worked as an Intellectual Property Officer at Naomi Korn Associates, advising museums, charities, and SMEs on intellectual property clearance, licensing, and risk management.
Alongside his practice, Thomas maintains a strong interest in emerging legal issues arising from technology and artificial intelligence, particularly in the fields of intellectual property and professional liability. He is also a member of the Bar Council's Training and Education Committee, contributing to policy and initiatives concerning the education and development of the next generation of barristers.
Areas of expertise
CSR & pro bono
Thomas is a member of the Bar Council’s Training and Education Committee, contributing to policy and initiatives concerning the education and development of the next generation of barristers. He was appointed to the committee in August 2026.
He also was the Founder of Neurodiversity in Law, an organisation that promotes the strengths and talents of neurodivergent people in the legal sector. Since its founding, Neurodiversity in Law has represented as the interests of neurodiverse people across the legal profession. As a charity, it has gone on to be nominated for multiple awards, including winning the award of Not-for-Profit Organisation or Representative Body of the Year at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2026. He is now an Independent Advisor to the Trustees.
Thomas is a uniformed operational volunteer in St John Ambulance. He has a wealth of experience in pre-hospital medical environments as an Emergency Responder and member of Medical Response Team within the organisation. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Honorary Liberty of the Old Metropolitan Borough of Southwark by the Mayor of Southwark in May 2025.
Publications
‘Finding ‘loci of listening’: how understanding changes of place in musical distribution and consumption can form a theoretical basis to try to find a solution to streaming.’ in Legal Geographies of Intellectual Property, Eds. Jenny Kanellopoulou & Smita Kheria. Due for publication in December 2026, Edward Elgar Publishing.
‘This Little Piggy Went to Court: Peppa Pig vs Wolfoo’, The IPKat Guest Post, 14 July 2026
Qualifications
Qualifications
University of Cambridge: MA Hons Music (2.i)
Queen Mary University of London: MSc Management of Intellectual Property (Distinction) and PGCert Intellectual Property Law (Distinction)
BPP University: PGDip in Law (Distinction)
City, University of London: PGDip in Bar Vocational Studies with specialism in International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution (Distinction)
Scholarships and Prizes
The Hooper Declamation Prize, Trinity College, University of Cambridge
Alan Gray Grant, Trinity College, University of Cambridge
Herchel Smith Scholarship, Queen Mary University of London
Tatjana Finkelstein Scholarship, GDL Scholarship, The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
Bedingfield Scholarship, Bar Course Scholarship, The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators Prize, City, University of London, for the highest mark in the International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution specialism on the Bar course
Professional Associations
- Intellectual Property Bar Association
- IPSoc
- Competition Law Association
Practice team
Contact the team at tteam@gatehouselaw.co.uk or get in touch with one of our Practice Managers.
Amy McClean
Marc Gilby
