Tony . Willoughby
World Intellectual Property Organization
Tony Willoughby started life in the law as a trainee lawyer with the London Transport Board, which killed about 120 people per year on the subway and the buses. He was in charge of inquests and honed his skills as an advocate (such as they were) in coroners' courts. On qualification as a lawyer in 1970 he moved seamlessly into the living world of trade marks with The Distillers Company (now a part of the spirits arm of Diageo). In 1973, he joined the patent department of Herbert Smith (now Herbert Smith Freehills) where he stayed for 21 years (17 as partner) - engaged primarily in trade mark/passing off litigation involving alcoholic beverages - before joining a London IP boutique practice variously known as Rouse and, while he was there, Willoughby & Partners. It was in his time at Rouse/Willoughby that he came across domain names and domain name disputes. Much of his time since 1995 has been spent acting for parties in domain name disputes and adjudicating disputes in the gTLDs (for WIPO) and the .uk domain (as Chairman of the Appeal Panel for Nominet). He retired from front line IP litigation in 2012. What goes around comes around. One of the advantages of being with the London Transport board was free travel on the subway and the buses. One of the advantages of being a Londoner of a certain age is free travel on the subway and the buses!
(01/15)
