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​Paul Johns

Executive, Lawyer (Head of Litigation – New Zealand)

LLB (Hons)/BSc
Bachelor of Laws (with Honours)
Bachelor of Science (Genetics)
Solicitor (High Court of New Zealand)
Solicitor (NSW Supreme Court & High Court of Australia)
Admitted solicitor (Supreme Court of England & Wales)

Paul is an intellectual property dispute resolution specialist with more than 24 years of experience across New Zealand and the UK. Paul is a seasoned lawyer, IP strategist, and Head of Pearce IP’s litigation team in New Zealand.  Paul is recommended for litigation in the IAM Patent 1000, rated bronze for enforcement and litigation in the WTR1000, ranked Band 4 for Intellectual Property Asia-Pacific in Chambers, and recognised for Intellectual Property and Litigation in Best Lawyers.

He is experienced in managing contentious disputes regarding all types of intellectual property and related issues, including patents, copyright, trade marks, designs, confidential information and consumer law. With a background in molecular genetics, Paul has acted for clients across a vast range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, animal health, med-tech, food & beverage technologies, heavy vehicle engineering, fashion, hospitality, and entertainment.

Paul also has extensive experience with assisting clients in relation to a wide range of issues including food standards and other regulatory compliance (such as Food Standards Code Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), labelling, and packaging requirements).

Paul is recognised for his thoughtful and strategic approach to dispute resolution, using his legal and technological know-how to achieve commercially beneficial results for his clients. Paul has advocated for his clients in the New Zealand Court of Appeal and High Court of New Zealand, as well as before the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office and IP Australia. He has conducted UDRP and similar domain name disputes before various arbitral panels. Paul also has experience in effectively involving competition watchdogs and other regulators where appropriate.

Paul is a member of New Zealand’s Copyright Tribunal. He also belongs to the International Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand and is an Associate Member of New Zealand Intellectual Property Attorneys Inc.

Paul Johns Awards

World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR)

WIPR World's Leading IP Practitioners (2024)

Managing IP Stars

Notable Practitioner (2024)

IAM Patent 1000

Litigation (2016 - 2024)

WTR 1000

Recommended individual – enforcement and litigation (2024, 2023, 2022)

Asia IP

IP Expert (2022)

Chambers and Partners

Intellectual Property – Asia Pacific (2024)

Best Lawyers

IP and Litigation (2024, 2023, 2022, 2019)

Pearce IP Awards

Chambers and Partners

Intellectual Property (2024)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific

Market Leading Intellectual Property Firm (2024)
Market Leading Intellectual Property Firm (2023)

IAM Patent 1000

Bronze for litigation (20232022, 2021)
Bronze for prosecution (2024, 20232022, 2021)

Australian Law Awards (Lawyers Weekly)

Finalist – Women in Law Awards – Boutique Diversity Firm of the Year (2022)
Finalist – Intellectual Property Team of the Year (2022)
Winner – Intellectual Property Team of the Year (2021)

Managing IP Stars

Patent Prosecution (2024, 2023, 2022)
The Only Leading Female Owned Life Sciences focussed IP Firm (2023)
Pearce IP ranked firm (2021)

Women in Business Law Awards - APAC

Shortlisted – Australian Firm of the Year (2022)

Lexology Legal Influencer

Australasia – Healthcare and Life Sciences (Q2 2024, Q1 2024, Q4 2023, Q3 2023, Q2 2023, Q3 2022, Q2 2022, Q1 2021, Q4 2020)

Cross-border – Healthcare and Life Sciences (Q2 2024, Q1 2024, Q4 2023, Q3 2023, Q2 2023, Q1 2023)

Australasian Lawyer

Top Boutique Firm (2024)
5-Star Intellectual Property Law Firm (2021)

Doyles Intellectual Property

Doyles Leading Intellectual Property (2021, 2020)
Doyles Recommended Intellectual Property (2021)

Recommended, litigation - IAM Patent 1000, 2024

“with over 20 years of commercial litigation experience under his belt, strategically minded Paul Johns manages and resolves IP disputes with dexterity”

“Johns manages and resolves IP disputes with dexterity”

IAM Patent 1000

"Winner - Intellectual Property Team of the Year 2021"

Australian Law Awards (Lawyers Weekly)

"Finalist - Intellectual Property Team of the Year 2022"

Australian Law Awards (Lawyers Weekly)

"Pearce IP bronze ranking for litigation and recommended for prosecution"

IAM Patent 1000 2021

"Pearce IP ranked bronze for litigation and prosecution"

IAM Patent 1000 2022

"5-Star Intellectual Property Law Firm"

Australasian Lawyer 5-Star Awards 2021

"Pearce IP Ranked Tier 3 - Prosecution"

MIP IP Stars 2022

"Lexology Legal Influencer"

Healthcare and Life Sciences (Australasia): Pearce IP (Q2 2022, Q1 2021, Q4 2020) Healthcare and Life Sciences (Cross-border): Pearce IP (2021)

"Women in Business Law Awards - APAC"

Shortlisted: Australian Firm of the Year (2022)

The Legal 500, 2023, Intellectual Property, Australia

The Pearce IP team has an in depth understanding of the science and the pharmaceutical regulatory industry driving many of their client’s businesses.  They are passionate about achieving their client’s commercial objectives – and they are extremely hard-working and dedicated lawyers.

OUR VISION

By 2027, be the premier life sciences IP practice in
Australia and New Zealand.