Sir Hugh Laddie sent shockwaves through the IP world when he resigned from the bench in June, the first judge to do so for 35 years. He left a parting gift with his judgment in RIM v Inpro (2005), which tried to force more speedy cases, and he has been just as forthright off the bench as on it.

Laddie is not known for his shortage of views on how the legal system could be improved. He has been scathing about the efficacy of the Woolf reforms because of a simple desire to make justice cheaper, quicker and more easily available to more people.

After his exit from the judiciary, Laddie joined IP boutique Willoughby & Partners as a consultant, where he leads the firm’s new arbitration and mediation practice. Willoughby gains one of IP’s best minds - a boon for the firm and its clients - and an immense ambassador for UK IP.