Meet the IP Professional: Charlotte Duly – Championing Brands Through Expertise

Charlotte Duly is a Partner in the Trade Mark Group at D Young & Co, where she advises clients on protecting and managing global trade mark portfolios. Combining legal expertise with teaching, writing and professional leadership, she believes curiosity, commercial thinking and a passion for learning are essential to delivering better outcomes for clients.

Quick Profile

Name: Charlotte Duly
Role: Partner, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and Solicitor
Firm / Organisation: D Young & Co LLP
Location: London, UK
Areas of expertise: Trade mark strategy, global portfolio management, clearance, prosecution, enforcement, disputes and brand protection

From science to trade marks

Charlotte’s route into intellectual property was far from conventional. Originally intending to pursue a career in science, she worked in a laboratory before exploring other options. A family friend suggested patent law, introducing her to a profession she had never previously encountered.

While studying for a Master’s degree in Intellectual Property, everything changed during a memorable lecture on trade marks.

The lecturer brought legal principles to life using real-world examples, including famous branding disputes illustrated with everyday products. More than twenty years later, Charlotte still remembers that session and the excitement it created.

Although she applied for both patent and trade mark roles, she realised the creative and commercial nature of trade marks suited her far better.

“I got my first job in trade marks and I haven’t looked back.”

Learning beyond day-to-day practice

Throughout her career, Charlotte has combined client work with writing, teaching, examining and committee roles. Rather than viewing these as separate activities, she sees them as opportunities to become a more rounded adviser.

Trade mark law spans countless industries, jurisdictions and legal systems. One day may involve pharmaceuticals, another fashion, financial services or food and drink. That variety means continual learning is part of the profession.

Charlotte believes exposure to different people, perspectives and ways of working ultimately benefits clients.

“The more you learn, the better you become in this field.”

Writing articles, presenting seminars and contributing to professional organisations have all broadened her understanding while allowing her to share knowledge with the next generation of IP professionals.

Finding the right team

Charlotte joined D Young & Co just over a year ago, moving from a large international full-service law firm to a specialist intellectual property practice.

Although the legal work remains familiar, she values being surrounded by colleagues who share the same enthusiasm for intellectual property.

She describes the firm as supportive, creative and agile, allowing the team to focus on delivering the best possible service to clients.

Perhaps most importantly, she feels she has found a team with shared values.

“I’ve found my people.”

Watching brands grow

One of the most rewarding aspects of Charlotte’s work is guiding clients from the earliest stages of brand development through to international protection.

It begins with trade mark clearance, helping clients determine whether a proposed name can be used and registered. From there, she develops filing strategies tailored to commercial ambitions, budgets and future growth.

The greatest satisfaction comes much later.

Whether spotting a client’s advertisement in an airport, seeing a product on a supermarket shelf or encountering a brand overseas, Charlotte enjoys knowing she played a small part in helping bring it to market.

There is, she says, a genuine sense of pride in watching a brand develop from an idea into something recognised around the world.

Advice that evolves with experience

Charlotte believes one of the biggest changes in any attorney’s career is moving from purely legal advice towards more commercially focused guidance.

Technical knowledge remains essential, but experience brings greater confidence in balancing legal risks with business realities.

The wider environment has also changed dramatically since she entered the profession.

Social media transformed brand protection. Domain names evolved. Artificial intelligence has introduced new challenges. Advisers must constantly reassess how businesses protect, enforce and develop their trade marks.

That means today’s advice cannot simply rely on yesterday’s experience.

Instead, Charlotte believes advisers should always be looking ahead, considering not only current risks but also how decisions made today will affect clients several years into the future.

Contributing to the wider profession

Charlotte has served on committees including CITMA and MARQUES, experiences she says have provided valuable insight into challenges facing the profession beyond individual client matters.

Committee work exposes wider issues affecting practitioners, encourages collaboration and helps shape the future direction of the profession.

It also prevents professionals becoming isolated within their own practices.

By hearing different perspectives and contributing to industry discussions, attorneys gain a broader understanding of both the legal landscape and the practical challenges facing colleagues and clients alike.

Charlotte encourages others to become involved, even for a relatively short period.

“It’s really interesting… and you get to help shape the profession going forwards.”

Why curiosity matters

Asked what qualities make the biggest difference over the long term, Charlotte highlights two.

The first is attention to detail. Trade mark practice depends heavily on dates, evidence and precise factual analysis.

The second is curiosity. Rather than answering only the immediate question, she believes good attorneys take time to explore whether there are additional issues, opportunities or risks that clients may not yet have considered.

Spending just a few extra minutes investigating can often uncover something important.

That willingness to dig deeper, she believes, leads to stronger advice and better client outcomes.

The changing face of brand protection

Charlotte sees artificial intelligence as one of the most significant developments affecting both practitioners and brand owners.

AI has made copying websites, branding and creative content faster and easier. Fake social media accounts continue to appear, while counterfeit products and imitation branding remain persistent challenges.

For many businesses, enforcement has become an ongoing balancing act.

Resources are finite, so advisers must help clients decide where time and money will have the greatest impact.

As technology continues to evolve, Charlotte believes the strategic role of trade mark attorneys will become even more valuable.

Businesses increasingly recognise that brands are among their most important commercial assets, making effective protection and enforcement more critical than ever.

Beyond legal expertise

If Charlotte could introduce one new subject into every aspiring trade mark attorney’s training, it would not be another legal module.

Instead, she would focus on management skills.

Attorneys quickly find themselves managing clients, expectations, deadlines and, later in their careers, colleagues and teams.

These conversations are often challenging, yet many professionals receive little formal preparation for them.

Charlotte believes developing these people skills early would benefit both clients and the profession.

Outside the office

Away from work, Charlotte’s life revolves around her two young sons, who keep her busy as what she jokingly describes as a “taxi service” and part-time sports coach.

When she finds time for herself, she heads out for a run.

She is quick to point out that she is neither the fastest nor the longest-distance runner, but that is beside the point.

Running gives her space to clear her mind, let thoughts come and go, and recharge before the working day begins.

Living close to Tooting Common provides the perfect setting, and she admits she particularly enjoys running in the rain.

Looking ahead

After more than two decades in trade marks, Charlotte remains as enthusiastic about the profession as when she first discovered it. She believes the legal landscape will continue to evolve, particularly as AI and new technologies reshape how brands are created, protected and enforced.

What excites her most is that there is always something new to learn. Whether advising clients, teaching future practitioners or contributing to the profession through committee work, she sees intellectual property as a career that never stands still. For Charlotte, curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to keep learning are what make the profession both rewarding and enduring.

Contact

LinkedIn: Charlotte Duly
Company website: https://www.dyoung.com/

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