Sam Grimley
Barrister
Call 2025
Sam specialises in all aspects of commercial, competition and intellectual property litigation, with a particular interest in media/entertainment and music industry disputes. Before coming to the Bar Sam worked with artists including Sir Tom Jones, Ed Sheeran and Jessie J, and has appeared in disputes before the High Court, CAT, IPEC, and UKIPO, as well as before arbitral tribunals.
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Commercial Dispute Resolution & Arbitration
- LCIA Arbitration
Acting for the Respondent (led Alexander Brown KC) in arbitral proceedings concerning contracts for the construction of a production plant. The claims concern unpaid invoices of nearly €10 million, with counterclaims exceeding €12 million for delay liquidated damages, breaches of safety obligations, and other contractual shortcomings. - ICC Arbitration
Assisting Alexander Gunning KC and Jarret Huang (during pupillage) in an oil and gas dispute involving international sanctions and contractual termination rights. - LCIA Arbitration
Assisting Laurence Emmett KC (during pupillage) acting for the Respondents in a Life Sciences dispute in relation to the termination of a license and distribution agreement. - Newfound Pinneys Ltd v. Yearwood
Assisting Thomas Sharpe KC (during pupillage) in appeal proceedings before the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal concerning a multimillion-dollar claim in Nevis.
- LCIA Arbitration
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Competition
- Le Patourel v BT Group PLC
Assisting Derek Spitz (during pupillage) acting for the Class Representative in application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal following the UK’s first opt‑out collective action to reach trial in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. - Utilita Energy Ltd v PayPoint plc
Assisting Derek Spitz (during pupillage) acting for the Claimants in a Section 47A Competition Act damages claim alleging abuse of dominance in the UK pre‑pay energy market and seeking more than £40 million in damages.
- Le Patourel v BT Group PLC
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Intellectual Property
- Kniteforce Ltd v. Kenyo
Instructed as sole counsel for the Claimant in a damages inquiry in the High Court (IPEC) arising from a copyright infringement claim. The inquiry concerned negotiating damages and additional damages under section 97(2) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. - Frasers Property Ltd v. House of Fraser Brands Ltd
Instructed with Guy Hollingworth in the largest IPO hearing to date, involving 38 consolidated actions concerning use of the mark “Frasers”. - Crafts Group LLC v MS Indeutsch International
Assisting Guy Hollingworth (during pupillage) on a long‑running trade mark and passing off dispute in the High Court (IPEC) over the goodwill attaching to patterned knitting and crochet needles. - DKH Retail Ltd & Ors v City Football Group Ltd
Assisting Phil Roberts KC (during pupillage) acting for DKH in High Court (Chancery Division) proceedings between the owners of the “Superdry” brand and City Football Group to determine whether the words “Super” and “Dry” on Manchester City’s kit infringed the Claimants’ marks. - easyGroup Ltd v Premier Inn Hotels Ltd
Assisting Emma Himsworth KC (during pupillage) acting for Premier Inn in a High Court (Chancery Division) claim alleging that Premier Inn’s “Rest Easy” slogan infringed various easyGroup marks. - Wise Payments Ltd v With Wise Ltd and Ors
Assisting Phil Roberts KC (during pupillage) acting for Wise Payments in the High Court (IPEC) in a trade mark and passing off dispute concerning use of the sign “Wise”. - Thom Browne Inc v adidas AG
Assisting Phil Roberts KC (during pupillage) acting for Thome Browne in the High Court (Chancery Division) in a costs application following trade mark proceedings concerning adidas’s three-stripe marks and Thom Browne’s four-bar design. - Lifestyle Equities C.V. v Sportsdirect.com Retail Ltd and Ors
Assisting Phil Roberts KC (during pupillage) acting for the Applicants in a damages inquiry in the High Court (Chancery Division) concerning the capacity of unregistered sub-licensees to recover losses under the Trade Marks Act 1994 Pt I s. 30(6).
- Kniteforce Ltd v. Kenyo
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Sports, Media and Entertainment
- Assisting in a dispute between a folk and indie pop group and their former management company involving allegations of unpaid fees and breach of contract.
- Acting for the Claimant (with Joshua Crow) in proceedings challenging the purported termination of a private sports club membership, seeking declaratory relief, reinstatement, damages for breach of contract, and related remedies.
- Kniteforce Ltd v. Kenyo
Instructed as sole counsel for the Claimant record label in a damages inquiry in the High Court (IPEC). The inquiry concerned negotiating damages and additional damages for the Defendant’s infringing use of the Claimant’s musical works. - DKH Retail Ltd & Ors v City Football Group Ltd
Assisting Phil Roberts KC (during pupillage) acting for DKH in High Court (Chancery Division) proceedings in a dispute concerning Manchester City’s kit.
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Previous Employment
• Legal Assistant, Keating Chambers, London (2022-2023)
• Guitarist and Keyboard Player, Sir Tom Jones (2011-2014)
• Guitarist and Keyboard Player, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (2009-2011)
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Education
• Bachelor of Civil Law, University of Oxford (Distinction)
• LLM Law Conversion, BPP University (Distinction)
• BA Music, University of York (First)
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Scholarships and Awards
- Gray's Inn, Arden Scholarship
- Gray’s Inn, Bedingfield Scholarship
- South Square Chambers BCL Scholarship
- The Queen’s College Ewald BCL Scholarship
- The Faculty of Law Dean’s BCL Scholarship