Gordon Humphreys Bacon

Gordon Humphreys Bacon Spain

Member of the arbitral tribunal Mediator Associated Mediator
Spain Spanish (Spain) Resident in Spain Spanish — Fluent French — Fluent German — Intermediate English — Fluent

Surname
Humphreys Bacon
First name
Gordon
Current professional position
CHAIRPERSON EUIPO FIRST AND THIRD BOARDS OF APPEAL
Organisation / firm
EUIPO
Country of residence
Spain
Nationality
Spanish (Spain)
Languages spoken & proficiency
SpanishFluent FrenchFluent GermanIntermediate EnglishFluent

Arbitrator roles
Member of the arbitral tribunal
Mediator roles
Mediator Associated Mediator
Professional biography
Gordon Humphreys gained accreditation as a mediator with CIArb in 2009 and has been part of the EUIPO team of mediators since inception in 2011, participating in over 30 mediations (many of which have been online) involving trade marks and domain names as well as some design rights. He obtained the Oxford pathway CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration in 2021 and was admitted as a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitartors in 2025. He has also been a member of the CIArb working group on mediation in 2018 and is co-editor of 'Mediation: Creating Value in International IP Disputes' (Kluwer, 2018), described by Amazon as 'the first work of its type devoted to the practical A to Z of IP mediation'. He also holds a diploma in negotiation from Harvard Business School (online) and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Alicante diploma on IP mediation, the first of its kind in Spain. He is a frequent speaker on ADR matters in the IP field and has written a number of articles on this subject.

Mediations conducted
10-50
15 years in this role

Legal / dispute expertise
Designs Dispute resolution / arbitration practice Trademarks
Industries
Energy & utilities Financial services Pharmaceuticals & life sciences

Bar admission(s)
BAR OF ENGLAND & WALES (1986); ORDRE FRANCAIS DES AVOCATS DU BARREAU DE BRUXELLES (1994) DE BRUXELLES - BOTH NOW NON-PRACTISING
Governing law experience
Civil law Common law Mixed
Brief description

Mainly facilitative but some reality testing may adopt a more evaluative style.

Education (degrees)
UNIVERSITY OF BUCKINGHAM - LL.B (hons) 1985; UNIVERSITY OF WALES, CARDIFF - LL.M 1987; UNIVERSITÉ DE LIÈGE -LICENCE SPÉCIALE EN DROIT ÉCONOMIQUE (1992); UNIVERSIDAD DE ALICANTE - ESPECIALISTA EN DERECHO DE LA UE (1998)
Relevant training
INNS OF COURT SCHOOL OF LAW BAR EXAMS (1986); COURS CAPA (BAR EXAMS), BRUSSELS (1993); CIArb mediation course and exams (2009); CIArb international commercial arbitration diploma (2021); Harvard Business School (online) negotiation diploma
Certifications / licenses
ADMITTED TO BAR OF ENGLAND & WALES, 1986
ADMITTED TO ORDRE FRANCAIS DES AVOCATS DU BARREAU DE BRUXELLES
CIArb accreditation as mediator (2009)
CIArb diploma in international commercial arbitration (2021)
Harvard Business School Diploma in Negotiation (2025)
Memberships / accreditations
FCIArb
Institutional panels & memberships
CIArb – Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Other OtherBRUNEI DARUSSALAM ARBITRATION CENTRE
Publications and/or speaking engagements

- Co-editor Mediation: Creating Value in International Intellectual Property Disputes, Kluwer, 2018 - Negotiation and bargaining Techniques for mediators, Universidad de Alicante (2025, 2026) - repeat event as visiting lecturer - Panelist: Enforcement of international mediated settlement agreements and arbitral awards in IP disputes; Practical tips for disputants and neutrals, Ljubjana PMAC Inaugural Event, 2026 - Moderator in panel entitled 'Evaluative vs. Facilitative Mediation: Navigating the Mediator’s Role and Managing User Expectations', EUIPO Mediation Stakeholders Network, 2026 - Panel leader, 'Next level mediation: Galvanising the lawyer and client into a true tandem team', IP Mediation Conference, Malta, 2025 - Panel leader 'practical mediation experience in the EU', at Conference on IP Mediation organised by The Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic, 2024 - Speaker on IP Mediation Case Studies, 30th aniversary conferencr of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic, 2023 - Speaker on 'Can Europe become a global IP ADR hub?', IP Mediation Conference, Alicante 2023 - UC Berkley Law, online lecture on 'Alternative dispute resolution at the EUIPO Boards of Appeal', december 2020 - Article, 'Mediation at OHIM: an alternative to litigation?', February 2015ERA Forum 16(1):61-71