Intellectual Property

Our highly respected, experienced IP team is one of the largest in the UK. The specialist unit advises on the protection, enforcement and exploitation (e.g. licensing) of all IP. This includes advising clients on managing their intellectual property and optimising their returns and investment. It also includes advising on potential collaborations with third parties and on the IP aspects of the sale or purchase of businesses.

A substantial number of the team have science backgrounds in a wide range of disciplines such as life sciences, electronics, physics and chemistry. Coupled with legal expertise, this puts the team as one of the leaders in handling technically challenging patent disputes. In addition, the team has extensive experience of specialist sectors such as electronics, ICT, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, automotive, retail, oil and universities to list but a few.

The team operates from offices across the country, the regional offices having a "City Pedigree". Where appropriate, matters can be handled at regional rates without loss of quality. Typically, this can reduce legal spend by 30 to 40%. On a complex patent dispute, for example, this can easily save our clients six figure sums.

Many of the matters which the team handles include an international element and there is a considerable knowledge base within the team concerning practices and the variety of ways disputes are handled overseas. Such knowledge is essential where cross-border factors are involved or forum shopping is an issue. This complements our wide ranging network of overseas associates in this field.

Our "one stop shop" covers all aspects of intellectual property such as patents, designs, copyright, databases, passing off, parallel importing, anti-counterfeiting, confidentiality, and media. This broad approach is vital as the overlap between different rights is ever increasing.  Included is a complete trade mark service to clients through our Trade Marks team which heads the league table of UK trade marks filed by law firms.

Click here for examples of our experience

<< Back