Anita Birkinshaw
BA LLB(Hons) LLM • Auckland
Anita has over 20 years’ experience in litigation, arbitration and mediation, including at leading international law firms in Paris and London.
Anita specialises in resolving complex commercial disputes involving contractual, tortious and administrative claims. She also has particular experience in contentious intellectual property matters and regularly represents clients in disputes concerning trade mark and copyright infringement, passing off and claims under the Fair Trading Act 1986.
Anita provides timely and pragmatic advice while working with her clients to resolve disputes efficiently and strategically.
Anita holds memberships to the International Trade Mark Association; and the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand.
World Trade Mark Review WTR1000
Leading Individual, Enforcement and Litigation
Work Highlights
Energy Beverages
Court of Appeal proceedings concerning validity of trade mark (Energy Beverages v Frucor Suntory).
Zespri Group
Successfully brought claims under the Plant Variety Rights Act 1987 in the High Court against former growers (Zespri v Gao).
Sky Television
Successfully brought claim against supplier of “media boxes” used to stream copyright content (Sky Television v My Box).
New Zealand Steel
Defending climate change claim seeking orders that the defendants reduce emissions to net zero (Smith v Fonterra).