Leading intellectual property lawyer James Robb has joined Griffith Hack as principal and practice group leader of its Law & Trade Marks practice. Robb is a former Mallesons and King & Wood Mallesons lawyer, where he served as special counsel.

In a statement, the firm said that Robb’s appointment supports Griffith Hack’s strategy to further strengthen its legal offering and meet growing client demand for integrated intellectual property advice, while expanding services in areas including market surveillance, portfolio reviews and IP health checks, commercialization, transactions, due diligence, brand protection, disputes and litigation.

Griffith Hack managing director Aaron Le Poidevin said Robb’s appointment is an important step in the next phase of the firm’s growth. “James is an exceptional intellectual property lawyer and a highly regarded leader. He brings the experience and strategic perspective to help us build on our strong foundations as we continue to expand our offering. We are a law firm with deep expertise across the IP and intangible asset lifecycle. Clients are increasingly seeking advice that helps them identify, protect and maximize the value of their intellectual assets, combining legal and IP attorney expertise with commercial insight. We see significant opportunities to continue growing that offering.”

Robb said: “Businesses today recognize that intellectual property, trade secrets, know-how and data can be powerful drivers of growth and competitive advantage. They're looking for advisers who can help them protect those assets, realize their commercial value and navigate emerging challenges, including those associated with AI.”

Based in Melbourne, Robb joined Griffith Hack on September 15, 2026, bringing more than a decade of experience across Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Prior to his time at Mallesons, he practised with Pinsent Masons in London and Herbert Smith Freehills in Melbourne. He advised clients on all aspects of brand protection, commercialization and enforcement, as well as copyright, consumer law and passing off, confidential information and trade secrets, and domain names.