Kendal Watkinson
Since being called to the Bar in 2021, Kendal has established a wide practice spanning all areas of soft IP and media law. She has a particular expertise in designs, copyright, database rights, trade marks and confidential information, in addition to related contractual and jurisdictional issues. Just three months after taking tenancy, Kendal conducted her first solo IPEC trial against experienced senior counsel.
Kendal appears regularly as both sole and junior counsel in the IPEC, High Court, Court of Appeal, UKIPO, and before the Appointed Person. She has acted in some widely reported cases, including AGA v Uk Innovation [2024] and WaterRower v Liking [2024], which was awarded Impact Case of the Year at the Managing IP Awards 2025. She is also an ADR qualified mediator and a contributor to Copinger and Skone James on Copyright.
Outside of Chambers, Kendal sits on the committee of IPSoc and teaches on the litigation course for trade mark attorneys at Nottingham Law School. Before coming to the Bar, Kendal spent some time working in the Copyright and Enforcement Directorate at the UKIPO. As part of the Digital Technologies Team, her work was focused on the interaction between Artificial Intelligence and IP law, and the shifting legal landscape in this area.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Qualified Year
- 2022
Membership
- IPSoc
- CITMA
- IPBA
Qualifications
- BCL, University of Oxford – Distinction (2020-21)
- LLM & BPTC, BPP – Distinction (2019-20)
- LLB, University of Hong Kong – Exchange (2017-18)
- LLB, Queen Mary University of London – First (2015-19)
4 Contributions by Kendal Watkinson
PRECEDENTS
Defence and Counterclaim Precedent: UK Registered, Unregistered and Supplementary Unregistered Design Infringement; Invalidity and Unjustified Threats; High Court (IPEC/Patents Court), England and Wales
Case No. [ insert claim number ]
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND & WALES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIST (ChD) [ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENTERPRISE COURT (IPEC) OR PATENTS COURT ]
BETWEEN: [ insert full name of claimant ] Claimant and [ insert full name of defendant ] Defendant
DEFENCE AND COUNTERCLAIM
DEFENCE
Preliminary Points
In this Defence and Counterclaim, except where indicated, any paragraph numbering refers to the paragraphs set out in the Particulars of Claim and not otherwise. The headings and defined terms from the Particulars of Claim are employed here purely for ease of reference, and their use is without concession as to meaning, or implication herein.
Except to the extent expressly addressed below, the Defendant takes issue with the Claimant’s allegations and contentions in the Particulars of Claim, all of which are denied in full. Any matter not admitted is not within the Defendant’s knowledge, and the Claimant is put to strict proof of each and every such allegation.
The Parties
Paragraphs 1 to 4 are admitted in full...
IP
PRECEDENTS
England and Wales Intellectual Property List precedent: Reply and Defence to Counterclaim—UK Registered, Unregistered and Supplementary Unregistered Design Infringement, addressing validity disputes and unjustified threats (IPEC/Patents Court)
Case No. [ insert claim number ]
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND & WALES
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIST (ChD)
[ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENTERPRISE COURT (IPEC) OR PATENTS COURT ]
BETWEEN: [ insert full name of claimant ] Claimant
and [ insert full name of defendant ] Defendant
REPLY AND DEFENCE TO COUNTERCLAIM
REPLY
Preliminary Points
Unless indicated otherwise, in this Reply and Defence to Counterclaim any paragraph references are to those in the Defence and Counterclaim.
The Claimant contests the Defendant’s allegations and contentions in the Defence and Counterclaim in their entirety, except to the extent that they amount to admissions.
The Claimant's Rights
Registered Design
Paragraph 5 is denied. The Registered Design is neither currently nor at any material time has been invalid for the reasons advanced in the Defence and Counterclaim [ and/or in the Grounds of Invalidity set out at Annex 1 ], as alleged or otherwise. It is asserted that [ insert grounds upon which the validity of the registered design should be upheld ].
UK Unregistered Design
Paragraph 7 is denied...
IP
PRECEDENTS
England and Wales: Completing the N1 claim form for UK registered, unregistered and supplementary unregistered design infringement—contents, venue, parties, value and statement of truth
The purpose of a claim form
A claim form is the document that initiates proceedings. It sets out key details for the case, including:
the court reference number to appear on all later court documents;
the parties involved in the proceedings;
the relief sought or what is being claimed;
particulars of the claim (including any claim for interest); and
contact details for the claimant, usually the claimant’s solicitor.
The procedural requirements on how and where to commence proceedings are in CPR Part 7. General guidance on what a claim form should contain is provided in the Practice Note: Claim form—the contents. This Precedent is accompanied by material containing suggested wording for claims concerning infringement of UK registered designs, UK unregistered designs and/or supplementary unregistered designs. The Precedent also highlights the specific issues to consider when completing a claim form for these proceedings. The attached N1 claim form is illustrative only...
IP
PRECEDENTS
Precedent particulars of claim: infringement of UK registered, UK unregistered and supplementary unregistered designs (High Court/IPEC, England and Wales)
Case No. [ insert number ]
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICEBUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS OF ENGLAND & WALESINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIST (ChD)
[ [ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENTERPRISE COURT (IPEC) OR PATENTS COURT ] ]
BETWEEN
[ insert full name of claimant ] — Claimant
and
[ insert full name of defendant ] — Defendant
PARTICULARS OF CLAIM
The Parties
The Claimant is, and at all times material has been, [ insert details of Claimant ].
The Claimant [ is a company formed under the laws of [ insert jurisdiction ] on [ insert date ] with company number [ insert number ], with a registered address at [ insert address ], and ] carries on [ insert brief description of Claimant’s business ].
The Defendant is, and throughout the relevant period has been, [ insert details of Defendant ].
The Defendant [ is a company constituted under the laws of [ insert jurisdiction ] on [ insert date ] with company number [ insert number ], whose registered address is [ insert address ], and ] conducts [ insert brief description of Defendant’s business ]...
IP
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