Lakmal is a partner and head of JMW's Intellectual Property team. He joined JMW in December 2020 and was key to setting up the Intellectual Property Department in the London office. Lakmal has more than ten years of experience in intellectual property law following completion of specialist post-graduate study in the field. He specialises in all aspects of IP including:
- Trade mark, design right, copyright, patent, and breach of confidence disputes, predominantly heard in the High Court (Chancery Division) and the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court as well as appeals to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
- Contentious matters before the UKIPO such as oppositions and cancellation actions, including appeals to the Appointed Person.
- All trade mark and design registry filings (both EUIPO and UKIPO), including filing and prosecution of applications.
- IP agreements including assignments and licences and other aspects of commercialising IP.
- IP auditing and advising on small and large IP portfolios, their optimisation and maintenance.
- Lakmal has worked on notable reported cases in the IP field including:
- Herno S.P.A. v Miss Sparrow Ltd in the Opposition to Trade Mark Application No. 3508962 (Decision of the Appointed Person) o/954/22
- Urbanbubble v Urban Evolution [2022] EWHC 134 (IPEC) – trade mark infringement and passing off case in the IPEC.
- Freshasia Foods Ltd v Lu [2018] EWHC 3644 (Ch) & [2019] EWHC 638 (Ch) – High Court (STS) breach of confidence case involving a former employee.
- Link Up Mitaka Ltd (t/a Thebigword) v Language Empire Ltd & Anor [2018] EWHC 2728 (IPEC) – inquiry as to damages in a trade mark infringement case in the IPEC.
- Link Up Mitaka Ltd (t/a Thebigword) v Language Empire Ltd & Anor [2018] EWHC 2633 (IPEC) (09 October 2018) – trade mark infringement case in the IPEC.
- Argos Ltd v Argos Systems Inc [2018] EWCA Civ 2211 (09 October 2018) – appeal to Court of Appeal regarding several issues from the High Court’s decision including targeting and consent.
- Argos Ltd v Argos Systems Inc [2017] EWHC 231 (Ch) (15 February 2017) – High Court case on the trade mark issue of targeting and infringement in the sphere of internet advertising.
Lakmal studied both his LLB (Law, Hons) and his LLM (Intellectual Property Law) at the University of Leeds. Lakmal had previously trained and worked at a specialist boutique IP practice, in their Leeds and London branches.
Lakmal speaks both English and Sinhala fluently. Outside of work, Lakmal likes spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking, listening to music or playing cricket.