Clare Cunliffe

Practice Areas

Clare Cunliffe practises in intellectual property and general commercial litigation.

Clare has particular expertise in intellectual property litigation, with extensive experience in patent revocation and infringement proceedings (including pharmaceutical patent injunctions) and patent oppositions, trade mark infringement and revocation proceedings, non-use applications and oppositions, and copyright litigation, as well as litigation concerning the misuse of confidential information in the pharmaceutical context.

Before joining the Bar, Clare was a Senior Associate at Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Melbourne where she practised in intellectual property litigation, focusing on patent litigation, and general commercial litigation. Clare has also worked in the United Kingdom, at boutique intellectual property firm Powell Gilbert, and at Allens. From 2005 to 2018, Clare co-authored the Australian chapter of Kluwer’s Global Patent Litigation. In 2021, she wrote the Australian chapter of a text called Patent Enforcement for Globe Law and Business.

Liability limited by a scheme approved by Professional Standards Legislation

Professional Memberships

From 2012 to 2015, Clare was the secretary of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ). From 2016 to 2018, she was the Treasurer and in 2018 became Vice President. In 2022 Clare was appointed President of IPSANZ, a position she still holds. She has been a committee member of the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property (AIPPI Australia) from 2013. In 2016 she became Treasurer, a position she held until 2023 when she became President. She is also Vice Chair of AIPPI’s Global Amicus Curiae Committee, a member of the global Enforcement Committee, and chair of AIPPI Australia’s Continuing Professional Development Committee.