Rebekah Gay

Practice Areas

Rebekah is a leading IP litigator and partner in the dispute resolution group.

Rebekah specialises in, and has extensive experience in intellectual property litigation and dispute resolution. She assists clients in enforcing their IP rights and resolving disputes relating to all areas of IP, including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright, as well as disputes relating to consumer law issues.

Rebekah’s experience extends across a broad range of industries, and includes acting for clients in patent, copyright and design disputes relating to:

- water filtration technology

- mineral processing technology

- methodologies for use in the financial services sector

- industrial food processing

- pharmaceuticals

- medical devices

- consumer devices

- residential homes

Rebekah’s trade mark and consumer law experience has similarly spanned a broad range of industries, with her advice often focusing on aspects of packaging, and marketing and advertising campaigns.

Rebekah’s expertise is recognised by clients and peers in the Legal500 guide, where Rebekah is listed as a Leading Individual in the Intellectual Property sector. Rebekah’s clients appreciate her practical approach to dispute resolution, which is focused on achieving effective and efficient resolutions that are in line with her client’s business imperatives.

Rebekah has worked closely with clients in a range of sectors, including the pharmaceutical, complementary health, medical device, mining, energy, food processing, and financial services sectors.

Before joining Herbert Smith Freehills as a partner, Rebekah was the head of the litigation team at a Sydney-based IP firm for many years.

As well as working with commercial clients, Rebekah is also committed to ensuring that IP is accessible and beneficial to those involved in the creative arts, and has therefore undertaken a considerable amount of pro bono work for the Arts Law Centre.

She is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

Memberships:

Rebekah is a member of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand, and has held a position as a member of the IPSANZ New South Wales Branch Committee.

Background:

Rebekah has both a law degree and a science degree from the University of New South Wales (1998). In her science degree, Rebekah majored in biochemistry.

Rebekah also has a masters of law (human rights) also from the University of New South Wales (2009). Rebekah’s masters studies focused on the intersection of human rights, corporate social responsibility and intellectual property.

Work Highlights

A number of major pharmaceutical companies in patent litigation before the Federal Court

A major pharmaceutical company in proceedings for misleading and deceptive conduct

A multinational medical device company in patent litigation before the Federal Court

A multinational company in Federal Court litigation relating to the use of enzymes in food processing

A multinational company in a major dispute concerning patented water filtration technology

A US entertainment company in one of the first disputes to consider copyright in DVDs