Department profile
CMS

Intellectual Property

Global Guide 2026 : UK

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CMS

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Intellectual Property - UK

Band 2

What the Team is Known For
CMS provides a comprehensive IP service capable of handling any dispute, transaction or prosecution strategy. The team is celebrated for hi-tech and digital expertise, with important resources devoted to life sciences clients. CMS is also one of very few firms with in-house patent attorneys.
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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • CMS successfully defended HydraWell in proceedings in the UK and Norway relating to patents for oil well tooling and the subsequent decommissioning of oil wells.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • CMS are highly responsive, efficient and concise in their correspondence. They provide thoughtful, creative and strategic advice.

    Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

  • CMS are excellent at explaining complicated technologies in understandable and effective terms. They offer creative solutions and provide practical advice that gets results.

    Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

  • CMS London are excellent at identifying the key issues and producing materials to address these often complex issues with elegant solutions.

    Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

  • CMS combines deep legal expertise, exceptional client service and a thorough understanding of the client's business, offering advice that goes beyond the legal to support broader commercial goals.

    Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

  • They've not only maintained their grasp of our core technology but have anticipated emerging areas of innovation. This level of technical partnership goes well beyond traditional IP counsel.

    Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Mark Shillito
    Mark Shillito

    Mark Shillito

    Mark Shillito is renowned for his experience handling a broad array of intellectual property disputes covering all core rights. He also advises blue-chips on crisis management and IP-driven transactions.
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  • Tom Scourfield
    Tom Scourfield

    Tom Scourfield

    Tom Scourfield is well respected for his practice representing corporate clients in trade mark and copyright disputes before the courts and UK and EU registries. He counts leading brands in myriad sectors among his clients, including cosmetics companies, broadcasters and sporting bodies.

    • Tom is one of the finest international trade mark lawyers I've worked with in 30 years.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

    • Tom Scourfield is very thorough and level headed. He understands the commercial context, he doesn't just look at problems through a legal theoretical lens.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal
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  • Joel Vertes
    Joel Vertes

    Joel Vertes

    Joel Vertes represents clients on a wide variety of intellectual property matters. He is adept at handling copyright, technology, data protection and brand-related disputes on behalf of his clients.

    • Joel Vertes is outstanding all around.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

    • Joel Vertes is great and always very sensible.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal
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  • Sarah Wright
    Sarah Wright

    Sarah Wright

    Sarah Wright is well-known for her brand and portfolio management work, assisting high-profile brands with IP strategy and enforcement. She often receives instructions from major players in the technology and entertainment sectors.

    • Sarah Wright at CMS is an absolute rockstar, an excellent lawyer and a fantastic business person. She is a really kind, warm and thoughtful business partner to us.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal
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  • Ben Hitchens
    Ben Hitchens

    Ben Hitchens

    Ben Hitchens has an active contentious IP practice focusing on trade mark and copyright enforcement for major brands in the technology sector. He handles disputes across the UK and EU, and is particularly well versed in the intricacies of the EU AI Act.

    • Ben Hitchens is a superstar.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal

    • Ben Hitchens is really excellent; his advice is practical and useful.

      Intellectual Property respondentGlobal
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Ranked Individuals at CMS (5)

UK

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