Intellectual Property

Our legal practice has a strong client list globally, including universities, SMEs, mid-market tech companies and many international blue-chip companies across the life sciences, chemistry, materials, engineering, ICT and retail industries. 

With a focus on cost-effective, high quality access to specialist IP dispute resolution services, the department works closely and seamlessly with our patent, design and trade mark attorneys to offer the complete range of options available to IP owners to maximise outcomes. This ranges from pre-action correspondence, alternative dispute resolution and litigation in the UK or other national courts, to declarations of invalidity or non-infringement, cancellation, revocation, entitlement actions, as well as oppositions and appeals at the UKIPO, the EPO and the EUIPO.

The department has a wealth of experience advising on technology transfer and the commercialisation of IP, ranging from advising on the existence, protection and management of IP rights, to drafting and negotiating complex commercial and transaction contracts involving IP (and advising on their interaction with UK and European competition law), from high value patent licenses to multi-institution research collaborations, and conducting due diligence on IP assets and negotiating the relevant IP terms in corporate and investment deals, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments and stock market flotations.