She focuses in particular on copyright, trade marks and passing off, design right, breach of confidence, database rights and privacy, representing musicians, academics, artists, broadcasters, film makers, production companies, publishers, brand owners (from global businesses to SMEs) and well known individuals across all of these areas. Her previous training as a classical pianist and in depth knowledge of music theory gives her the edge in musical copyright cases and she is described in the directories as the “go-to Junior” in this area of law.
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Experience
Media, Sport & Entertainment
Jessie is ranked as the Star Individual in Media and Entertainment by Chambers & Partners 2025, with her background as a classical pianist making her the “go-to junior for musical copyright cases” (Legal 500 2020). Recent high profile music cases have seen Jessie acting for Ed Sheeran (“Shape of You”), Sir Bob Geldof (“I Don’t Like Mondays”), Barry McKay (the lyrics of various Iron Maiden songs) and Gary Brooker (“A Whiter Shade of Pale”). As well as musicians Jessie also regularly represents record companies, broadcasters, film makers, production companies, publishers, artists, academics and other well-known individuals in entertainment matters, Brian Belo v Lime Pictures (a dispute over the format of the hit dramality soap TOWIE) and 19TV v Simon Cowell (a dispute over the format of Pop Idol and X Factor) being examples. Jessie recently acted for The Duchess of Sussex in her claim against Associated Newspapers for misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of data protection. Jessie is currently acting for Getty Images in a ground-breaking claim concerning the use of millions of images in the training of an artificial intelligence model.
- Getty Images & ors v Stability AI Ltd [2023] EWHC 3090 (Ch). Acting for Getty Images in a claim for copyright infringement, database right infringement, trade mark infringement and passing off in respect of the use by the defendant of millions of images in connection with its artificial intelligence model “Stable Diffusion”.
- Sheeran & ors v Chokri & ors [2022] EWHC 827 (Ch): Acted for Ed Sheeran and others in an authorship dispute over aspects of the music of “Shape of You”. After a three week trial Mr Justice Zacaroli found that Ed Sheeran and the other songwriters had not copied any elements from the defendants’ song.
- HRH The Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Limited [2021] EWHC 273 (Ch); [2021] EWCA Civ 1810: Acted for the Duchess of Sussex in one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2020. The Duchess’ claim against Associated Newspapers related to their publication of substantial extracts of a handwritten letter sent by The Duchess to her father. The Duchess was granted summary judgment on her claim, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
- Barry McKay v Harris & ors (2020): Acted for Barry McKay in an authorship dispute over the lyrics of various songs performed by Iron Maiden.
- Moylett v Geldof & anr (2016-2018): Acted for Sir Bob Geldof in an authorship dispute over the music (and some of the lyrics) of “I Don’t Like Mondays”. The case settled on the eve of trial.
- Andrew Ridgeley v Beezy Marsh (2019): Acted for Andrew Ridgeley in a dispute over the rights in a literary memoir concerning the lives, friendships and careers of Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael.
- IPC v Media 10 Ltd [2013] EWHC 3796 (IPEC): Honest concurrent use of IDEAL HOME for magazines and exhibitions
- Michael Mitchell v British Broadcasting Corp [2011] EWPCC 42: Acted for the BBC in defence of a claim for copyright infringement relating to the designs for a group of characters appearing in the animated tv programme “Kerwhizz”.
- Fisher v Brooker & Onward Music [2008] EWCA Civ 287: Acted for Gary Brooker and Onward Music in an authorship dispute over the music of “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.
- 19TV v Simon Cowell & ors (2005): Acted for Simon Cowell and others in a format dispute concerning X Factor and Pop Idol, which settled on the eve of trial.
Trade marks & Brands
Identified as “one of the best trade mark barristers at the Bar” by the Legal 500 (2024) Jessie has an extensive trade mark practice, recent highlights include acting for Google in a claim concerning YouTube Shorts (SIL v Google), the cosmetics giant Benefit (Beauty Bay v Benefit), EASY Group in litigation concerning the EASY family of marks (W3 v EasyGroup Ltd) and Nike in litigation concerning the use of LDNR in a campaign about young Londoners (Frank Industries v Nike Retail). Jessie regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal as well as the UKIPO (and in appeals to the Appointed Person) where clients have included BskyB, VISA, The Union, the proprietors of the ZARA brand, Sony, Burberry, Monsoon, Barclays, Virgin and B&Q.
- SIL v Google: Acting for Google in a claim for trade mark infringement and passing off relating to the use of the word “shorts” in the context of Google’s YouTube Shorts service. The trial was heard over 7 days in October 2024.
- Match Group v Muzmatch [2022] EWHC 941 (IPEC); [2023] EWCA Civ 454: Acted for the Defendant in a claim for trade mark infringement and passing off relating to the use of the word “match” for online dating services. The case raised a variety of issues including the doctrine of honest concurrent use, which was considered by the Court of Appeal in April 2023.
- Beauty Bay Ltd & anr v Benefit Cosmetics Ltd [2019] EWHC 1150 (Ch): Acted for Benefit Cosmetics in defence of a claim for trade mark infringement and passing off relating to a Christmas cosmetic product.
- Frank Industries Pty Ltd v Nike retail BV &Ors [2018] EWHC 1893 (Ch): Trade mark infringement claim arising out of Nike’s use of the letters LDNR in relation to a sports campaign that focussed on young Londoners.
- W3 v EasyGroup Ltd [2018] EWHC 7 (Ch): Complex trade mark dispute concerning the EASY marks.
- Supreme Petfoods Ltd v Henry Bell (Grantham) Ltd [2015] EWHC 256 (Ch): Dispute over the right to use SUPREME in relation to pet food in circumstances where there had been concurrent use for almost two decades.
- NOCN v OCN Credit4Learning [2015] EWHC 2667 (IPEC): Dispute between educational charities over the distinctiveness and ownership of various marks used by members of the NOCN over the course of the last two decades.
- IPC v Media 10 Ltd [2013] EWHC 3796 (IPEC): Honest concurrent use of IDEAL HOME for magazines and exhibitions.
Copyright & Databases
Jessie’s background as a classical pianist gives her the edge in musical copyright cases and she has become the go-to Junior in this area of law. The directories identify “her particular strength” as lying in “her knowledge of musical theory which positions her perfectly to engage with expert musicological evidence and apply it to the law” (Legal 500 2024). Recent high profile music cases have seen Jessie acting for Ed Sheeran (“Shape of You”), Sir Bob Geldof (“I Don’t Like Mondays”), Barry McKay (the lyrics of various Iron Maiden songs) and Gary Brooker (“A Whiter Shade of Pale”). As well as musicians Jessie also regularly represents record companies, broadcasters, film makers, production companies, publishers, artists, academics and other well known individuals in entertainment matters, Brian Belo v Lime Pictures (a dispute over the format of the hit dramality soap TOWIE) and 19TV v Simon Cowell (a dispute over the format of Pop Idol and X Factor) being examples. Jessie recently acted for The Duchess of Sussex in her claim against Associated Newspapers for misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of data protection, and is currently representing Getty Images in a ground-breaking claim concerning the use of millions of images in the training of an artificial intelligence model.
- Getty Images & ors v Stability AI Ltd [2023] EWHC 3090 (Ch). Acting for Getty Images in a claim for copyright infringement, database right infringement, trade mark infringement and passing off in respect of the use by the defendant of millions of images in connection with its artificial intelligence model “Stable Diffusion”.
- Sheeran & ors v Chokri & ors [2022] EWHC 827 (Ch): Acted for Ed Sheeran and others in an authorship dispute over aspects of the music of “Shape of You”. After a three week trial Mr Justice Zacaroli found that Ed Sheeran and the other songwriters had not copied any elements from the defendants’ song.
- HRH The Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Limited [2021] EWHC 273 (Ch); [2021] EWCA Civ 1810: Acted for the Duchess of Sussex in one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2020. The Duchess’ claim against Associated Newspapers related to their publication of substantial extracts of a handwritten letter sent by The Duchess to her father. The Duchess was granted summary judgment on her claim, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
- Genius Sports Technologies Ltd v Soft Construct (Malta) Ltd: Acted for the claimants in complex litigation concerning database right infringement in live data relating to football, basketball and volleyball.
- 77M Ltd v Ordnance Survey Ltd [2019] EWHC 3007 (Ch): Acted for Ordnance Survey in a trial relating to database infringement in mapping and addressing databases.
- Barry McKay v Harris & ors (2020): Acted for Barry McKay in an authorship dispute over the lyrics of various songs performed by Iron Maiden.
- Moylett v Geldof & anr (2016-2018): Acted for Sir Bob Geldof in an authorship dispute over the music (and some of the lyrics) of “I Don’t Like Mondays”. The case settled on the eve of trial.
- Andrew Ridgeley v Beezy Marsh (2019): Acted for Andrew Ridgeley in a dispute over the rights in a literary memoir concerning the lives, friendships and careers of Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael.
- Londongrad Limited v BBC & ors (2018): Format dispute concerning the TV series “McMafia”.
- Brian Belo & ors v Lime Pictures Ltd and ITV Plc (2013): Acted for Lime Pictures and ITV in a format dispute concerning The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE).
- University of Southampton & anr v Mohtasham [2012] EWHC 1630 (QB): Copyright infringement, malicious falsehood, harassment and intimidation claim in the field of nuclear non-proliferation. Acted for the University.
- ITV Broadcasting & ors v TV Catch Up (Case C-607/11) [2010] EWHC 3063 (Ch): Acted for ITV in a copyright infringement dispute relating to the live internet streaming of television programmes on a website.
- Michael Mitchell v British Broadcasting Corp [2011] EWPCC 42: Acted for the BBC in their defence of a claim for copyright infringement dispute relating to the designs for a group of characters appearing in the animated tv programme “Kerwhizz”.
- Fisher v Brooker & Onward Music [2008] EWCA Civ 287: Acted for Gary Brooker and Onward Music in an authorship dispute over the music of “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.
- 19TV v Simon Cowell & ors (2005): Acted for Simon Cowell and others in a format dispute concerning X Factor and Pop Idol.
Design Rights
- Action Storage Systems Ltd v G-Force Europe & anr [2016] EWHC 3151 (IPEC): Dispute over UK unregistered design rights in the shape and configuration of plastic lockers.
- Sistema Plastics Ltd v B&M Retail Ltd (2018): UK unregistered and Community registered design right claim concerning the shape and configuration of plastic containers.
- DKH Retail Ltd v AFH Stores UK Ltd ors (2015): Dispute between the owners of the Superdry brand and the owners of the Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister branded clothing.
- A Khan Design Ltd v Horsley [2012]: Registered design right trial concerning the designs of alloy car wheels.
- Numerous cases in the field of fashion – including the designs of corsets, ladies clothing, and designer shoes.
Trade Secrets, Confidentiality & Privacy
- HRH The Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Limited [2021] EWHC 273 (Ch); [2021] EWCA Civ 1810: Acted for the Duchess of Sussex in one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2020. The Duchess’ claim against Associated Newspapers related to their publication of substantial extracts of a handwritten letter sent by The Duchess to her father. The Duchess was granted summary judgment on her claim, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
- Andrew Ridgeley v Beezy Marsh (2019): Acted for Andrew Ridgeley in a dispute over the rights in a literary memoir concerning the lives, friendships and careers of Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael.
- Londongrad Limited v BBC & ors (2018): TV format dispute over the format of “McMafia”.
Arbitration & Mediation
- Geneva Mediation (2016): acted for the rights owner in a format dispute that was mediated under the WIPO Mediation and Expedited Arbitration Rules for Film and Media.
- Education & awards
- Bristol University, LLB Hons 2:1 (2002)
- Inns of Court School of Law, Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent)
- Prince of Wales Scholarship, Gray’s Inn (2002)
- Languages
French
- Hobbies & interests
- Classical pianist
- Horse riding (dressage)
Contact Jessie Bowhill's clerks
Whilst barristers have a designated practice management team, all the clerks have the capacity and knowledge to assist in cases involving all counsel.