Amanda McDowall

Partner, Head of Brand Protection

A strategic and commercial brand protection lawyer, advising clients, particularly in the media, fashion, beauty and advertising space, on the selection, protection, enforcement and exploitation of their soft IP rights.

Amanda leads Lee & Thompson’s trade mark team.  Her practice focuses on brand protection and enforcement, with particular expertise in the fashion, beauty, media and advertising spaces, and she is trusted by clients ranging from individuals to large international corporations to take care of their rights.

Amanda works closely with her clients throughout the life cycle of soft IP rights, advising on clearances, IP audits and protection through to enforcement and exploitation.  Amanda’s practice encompasses trade marks, designs, copyright and other related rights.  Having practised for over 15 years, her experience covers a broad range of sectors and matters, which enables her to provide strategic and pragmatic assistance to her clients.

Amanda has represented clients before the UKIPO, EUIPO, UK High Court, General Court and CJEU in trade mark and related matters, and has a specific interest in complex trade mark and associated passing-off disputes.

A Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, Solicitor and New York Attorney, Amanda joined Lee & Thompson in 2021.

Amanda is a qualified Trade Mark Attorney, Solicitor, and New York Attorney (non-practising).  She studied law at the University of Cambridge.

She is a member of INTA, sitting on the Rising Practitioner’s Committee for the 2026-27 term.  She is also a member of CITMA, sitting on the Education, Qualification and Standards and Events Steering Group Committees.

Amanda has been ranked as a Rising Star by Managing IP, and is recommended by WIPR in their UK Trade Mark Rankings 2025 for Non-Contentious and Contentious IP work.

Highlights include:
  • Advising and acting for an international contemporary fashion brand on all elements of IP and brand protection and enforcement
  • Acting for an international publishing house in relation to their EU and UK trade marks
  • Managing the international trade mark portfolio, and providing brand protection advice for a group of marketing, advertising and growth agencies;
  • Advising and acting for an international fashion and beauty house, in relation to IP protection and enforcement
  • Advising an international media company in relation to a range of complex inter-related court and registry disputes concerning the concept of bad faith in trade mark