Alison Firth

Visiting Professor, CCLS, Queen Mary, University of London, Newcastle University and New College of the Humanities

Alison originally read physics. Before commencing her career at the Bar, she conducted postgraduate research in polymer physics, and taught in both London and Lima. She has been a full time academic since 1985, most recently holding chairs in law at Newcastle University (2005–09) and Surrey University (2009–12). She is now professor emeritus at Surrey and visiting professor at Newcastle and at Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, University of London.

She has taught intellectual property law, competition law and contract law to undergraduate and postgraduate students and supervised a number of doctoral researchers. Her own research centres on the law of intellectual property and its relationship with other areas, including competition law and civil procedure. She is author of a number of books, chapters and articles on these areas. Her practice has included advising in respect of trade marks, passing off, patents, copyright, design right, confidential information and competition law. Alison was Honorary Legal Adviser to the British Copyright Council from 1994–2007 and is currently vice-president of the British Literary and Copyright Association. She is an associate member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.