James & Wells is delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Robinson‑Piper as a Partner, further strengthening the firm’s trade mark and brand protection capability across New Zealand, Australia, and internationally. Thomas joins James & Wells from PIPERS, where he was a Partner advising a broad range of clients on trade mark and related intellectual property matters.
Thomas is an experienced intellectual property professional with a particular specialisation in trade marks. He advises clients across the full lifecycle of brand protection, including brand creation, freedom to operate analysis, filing and protection strategies, local and overseas prosecution, and contentious trade mark matters such as opposition, revocation and invalidity proceedings. He also has experience in enforcement, including border protection and counterfeit takedowns, and domain name protection.
He is a qualified New Zealand barrister and solicitor, a registered Trans‑Tasman patent attorney, and a registered Australian trade mark attorney. He supports clients ranging from start‑ups and SMEs to large corporates in New Zealand, Australia and internationally, providing business-oriented and practical advice to help protect and maximise the value of their brands.
Thomas is a Fellow of the New Zealand Intellectual Property Attorneys Inc. and is actively involved in the International Trademark Association (INTA), where he recently served as a New Zealand committee member for the Unreal Campaign. The initiative focuses on educating young consumers about the importance of trade marks and the risks associated with counterfeit goods.
“Thomas’ appointment is an exciting step in the continued growth of our trade marks practice and our broader Australia and New Zealand offering,” said Tim Walden, Managing Partner at James & Wells. “He brings deep expertise across the full spectrum of brand protection and enforcement, together with a commercially focused approach that aligns strongly with the way James & Wells supports innovative businesses. We are delighted to welcome him to the partnership and look forward to the contribution he will make to our clients.”
At James & Wells, Thomas will focus on assisting local and international clients with strategic trade mark protection, portfolio management, enforcement, and brand‑related IP issues. His appointment strengthens the firm’s ability to deliver commercially aligned, end‑to‑end trade mark support for businesses at every stage of growth.
“I am pleased to be joining James & Wells, a firm renowned for its excellence in intellectual property and clear focus on delivering commercially practical advice” said Thomas. “I look forward to working with the team to help clients navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with building, protecting, and commercialising their brands across New Zealand, Australia and internationally.”
