The Legal 500

Bird & Bird LLP is consistently active in pan-European IP litigation, and its London office has recently promoted patent litigator Patrick Kelleher to the partnership. The highly respected Morag Macdonald co-heads the team together with former engineer Katharine Stephens, who is active on electronics patents, and ‘very good with technical arguments’. Patent litigator Trevor Cook is ‘at the top of his profession’, while Jane Mutimear - who is ‘excellent at a strategic level’ - and Gerry Kamstra acted for flagship client Nokia in defending a patent infringement claim by InterDigital. Commercial IP partner Sally Shorthose is ‘very switched on in new media’, while soft IP partner Peter Brownlow successfully acted for lastminute.com in European Court of First Instance proceedings.

Bristows is ‘exceptionally strong in technical IP’. The ‘excellent’ Edward Nodder heads the team, which has recently been boosted by the recruitment of commercial IP partner Fiona Nicolson from Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, and the promotion of two new partners, Liz Cohen and Andrew Bowler. Bowler acted for new client Siemens in one of the rare patent cases in Northern Ireland. The team also acted for GE Healthcare in a case brought by two former employees for compensation under a rarely used provision of the Patents Act. Trade mark litigator Paul Walsh is ‘very responsive and very clear’, while commercial IP partner Laura Anderson has a ‘very good intellect and is a very a pleasant character to work with’.

Taylor Wessing LLP has restructured its groups, and Niri Shan - a ‘fantastic and knowledgeable lawyer who has a very good team he can rely on’ - is now head of trade marks, copyright and media. Roland Mallinson - who ‘is recognised as an industry expert’ - spearheads the substantial trade mark filing practice and is increasingly involved in large-scale oppositions. Patent litigator Simon Cohen acted for Apotex in a Patents Court case against Servier which resulted in a groundbreaking damages award. The team also acted for Generics (UK) in a patent dispute with Lundbeck A/S, one of the few patent disputes to reach the House of Lords. Gary Moss has moved to McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP.

The IP practice at Herbert Smith LLP is ‘very special’ and ‘deserves the highest praise’. Sebastian Moore is a ‘fantastic solicitor’ who successfully defended the validity of two of Geox’s key patents in the High Court. David Wilson is also ‘terribly strong’ for patent litigation. Joel Smith, who has a focus on soft IP, is ‘exceptional’, while ‘outstanding lawyer’ Mark Shillito has been representing easyJet in a high-profile trade mark dispute. Following Bill Moodie’s retirement, Nick Gardner ‘has done a fantastic job of taking over the running of the department’.

Lovells LLP is increasingly developing significant strength in both telecoms and pharmaceuticals patent litigation - where it had a major win for Eli Lilly - and has ‘had an extremely busy two years’. Team head Robert Anderson delivers ‘high-class work’, while Stephen Bennett has ‘a big reputation and is the heir apparent’. Bennett acted for key client Merck & Co in work that resulted in the first Supplementary Protection Certificate for a ‘zero term’ to be granted by the UK Intellectual Property Office. Adam Cooke and the ‘committed’ Louise Zafer are recommended.

Powell Gilbert LLP is ‘ahead simply because every single person there is excellent’. It recently hired new partner Ari Laakkonen, formerly senior counsel at Bird & Bird LLP. He brings ‘great knowledge of the telecommunications industry’. Rebecca Lawrence has also been made partner. Strongest in pharmaceutical patents litigation, the firm has been growing its electronics and brands practice. ‘A litigator’s litigator’, Tim Powell recently acted for Monsanto in the first major action on patents covering GM crops in the UK. Simon Ayrton is strong on brands and has a ‘great reputation for good reason’, while Penny Gilbert is a ‘highly dedicated lawyer with extraordinary knowledge’. She is representing Human Genome Sciences in a Court of Appeal patent case against Eli Lilly, in the first case where the English courts have had to consider in detail the requirement for ‘industrial application’ of an invention.

Simmons & Simmons’ ‘gold-standard’ practice has been boosted by the hire of trade mark litigation partner David Stone - who provides ‘cutting-edge advice and gives superb client service’ - and his team of three from Howrey LLP. Stone adds his trade mark filing and brands practice - which brings clients including Coca-Cola - to that of Adrian Smith, whose clients include Bacardi. Senior associate Paul Inman has left to join Howrey LLP, while partner Jeremy Morton is now at Fasken Martineau LLP. Kevin Mooney led the advice to Lundbeck in the high-profile House of Lords patent dispute with Generics (UK).

Wragge & Co LLP has a team - based in London and Birmingham - that has ‘repeatedly demonstrated complete dedication’. Its IP practice has been leading the firm’s international expansion, with IP-only offices recently opening in Munich and Guangzhou, China. Team head Gordon Harris advised Cinpres Gas Injection in relation to its ultimate victory in its long-running patents dispute against Melea. The practice also secured victory for Premium Aircraft Interiors UK in a high-profile dispute regarding unregistered UK design rights. Brands and technology patents partner Alex Brodie is now based in London.

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘smart, articulate, practical and responsive’ Nicola Dagg is best known for acting for Research in Motion in relation to its technology patent litigation over the BlackBerry device. She has also been advising on a cross-border patent dispute over a blockbuster drug. The trade marks practice has been attracting a growing volume of work, and the firm is also active in complex IP licensing transactions in both the life sciences and hi-tech sectors.

Headed by Michael Hart, Baker & McKenzie LLP’s ‘responsive, pragmatic and business-aware’ team has substantial range and expertise; the firm has a large trade mark filing practice and a particularly strongnon-contentious IP practice. Key clients include Unilever, L’Oréal and Vodafone. Patent litigator Stephen Jones is a highly regarded lawyer who is also qualified as a patent and trade mark attorney.

DLA Piper UK LLP’s IP practice gives ‘very good commercial advice and always responds in a timely manner’. The ‘high-profile’ Simon Levine recently advised longstanding trade mark client Honda on parallel imports. George Godar is ‘a very nice guy’ and recently advised Virgin Atlantic on patent and design right infringement claims. HSBC is a major client for trade mark portfolio management. Richard Penfold is now at Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP.

Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has lost trade mark filing partner John Olsen, his team and some substantial trade mark filing clients to Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP. Trade mark partner Simon Chapman has also moved, to Lewis Silkin LLP. However the firm has made up three new IP partners internally - including the ‘quick reactive and pragmatic’ France Delord, who focuses on trade mark filing - and won new clients including Agent Provocateur and Mothercare. Nick Rose has been advising Vestergaard Frandsen on one of the largest trade mark actions ever to take place in the UK.

Howrey LLP wins promotion in the ranking due to the strong reputations of the ‘excellent’ Richard Willoughby, the ‘top-drawer’ Mark Hodgson - who has just become the firm’s London managing partner - and the ‘very highly regarded’ Marjan Noor. The firm recently won a groundbreaking patent case for Eli Lilly after the High Court handed down its first-ever judgment on the patentability of human genes. Trade mark partner David Stone moved to Simmons & Simmons, while patent litigation partner Paul Inman, formerly a senior associate at Simmons & Simmons, joined the office. Inman’s track record includes the Lundbeck case in the House of Lords, work in which he co-acted with his former firm after his move.

Olswang has a full-service patent filing practice and a major trade mark filing practice. Trade mark head Joel Barry led a team acting for Johnson & Johnson in a complex infringement claim. Co-head Michael Burdon led advice to new client Wake Forest University and its exclusive licensee KCI Inc, a publicly quoted US medical devices company, in major patent litigation. Sarah Wright is a new appointment to the partnership and has a soft IP and fashion practice.

Rouse Legal is a ‘superb’ IP boutique best known for its international anti-counterfeiting practice, but increasingly developing strength in hard IP, including representing Merck & Co in patent litigation. ‘Excellent’, ‘dedicated’ managing partner Karen Fong is active in international arbitration. International trade mark enforcement specialist Jeremy Newman is ‘very good, responsive and excellent at client relations’. The firm has recently seen a number of arrivals, including Catriona Smith, formerly a partner at Allen & Overy LLP, who has joined as a professional support lawyer.

SJ Berwin LLP has hired senior associate Bill Ladas from Davenport Lyons to manage its trade mark filing practice. The firm - which is ‘a pleasure to work with’ - is increasingly active advising on technology and business process patents in addition to pharmaceutical patents, and in patent-related class actions. Ray Black is recommended.

Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP’s soft IP and non-contentious partners are the ‘efficient and practical’ Richard Dickinson and Jonathan Day, who is ‘calm in the face of difficult and frustrating matters’. Dickinson advised UK photo agency Big Picture on a copyright dispute. Ian Kirby is ‘excellent’ on patent disputes.

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s has been growing its trade mark practice, and team head Simon Clark has ‘excellent technical skill’ and is a ‘great guy, incredibly easy to deal with, who knows his stuff and gets down to business’.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP’s head of TMT Isabel Davies is a ‘serious player’ for trade mark and patent litigation, ‘incredibly well known and hugely experienced, with real seniority’. Patent litigator and IP head Nick Beckett has ‘significant experience and judgement’ and is ‘fantastic, with a very strong trust in his junior team’. He acted for Eli Lilly in a trade mark infringement action which went to the ECJ.

Clifford Chance has a trade mark filing practice and is active on multi-jurisdictional trade mark work. Vanessa Marsland successfully advised longstanding client Manpower on the defence in the European Court of First Instance of a third party’s attempt to cancel its Community Trade Mark registration. ‘A high level of thought is put into every response, they give you a level of confidence that surpasses all others’.

At Denton Wilde Sapte LLP, commercial IP partner Scott Singer has been newly appointed as head of the TMT sector group. The IP team is headed by litigator John Linneker and recently advised on the IP aspects of a high-profile joint venture.

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP has hired John Olsen and a team of 15 fee-earners from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. He is a ‘premier UK and EU lawyer’, a ‘very experienced professional who does an excellent job’, and brings a substantial trade mark filing practice and clients including Mastercard International, Elizabeth Arden, and American Greetings Corp. He co-chairs the firm’s transatlantic trade mark practice. Patent litigation partner Rajita Sharma joined in 2008 from Reed Smith, and has a life sciences focus.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s Justin Watts is ‘superb’, ‘an excellent litigator who is hugely experienced and has an exceptional technical ability’. He has been advising Johnson & Johnson on patent litigation brought by Novartis. The firm has also been increasing the amount of brand protection work it handles, and the team ‘actually provide answers and give real guidance’.

Harbottle & Lewis LLP has a strong media and brands practice, and recently acted for the successful parties in two leading copyright cases. Lawrence Abramson advised the defendant in the Whiter Shade of Pale dispute in the House of Lords, while Mark Owen acted for Lucasfilm as claimant in the Star Wars case which is pending in the Court of Appeal. Clients are ‘always very pleased with the level of work’.

Lewis Silkin LLP rises in the ranking following the hire of trade mark litigation partner Simon Chapman from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. Dominic Farnsworth - who has been driving the development of the trade marks practice - is now dual qualified as a trade mark attorney. Head of media, brands and technology Giles Crown has been acting for Whirlpool in an unusual case involving the enforcement of a shape trade mark.

Linklaters LLP has a focus on transactional IP and is also solid on patent litigation, where Ian Karet ‘comes up with good ideas and is very bright’. Benedict Bird’provides excellent commercial advice’, has been active on soft IP, and successfully represented Direct Line in trade mark litigation before the Court of Appeal against esure.

Marks & Clerk Solicitors LLP moves up a tier thanks to ‘excellent customer service’, ‘positive results’, and the reputation of patent litigation head Mike Gilbert, who ‘has really built up some very loyal big clients, has good assistants’, and ‘has a very robust approach to spurious threats of litigation’. Gregor Grant - on an unusual conditional fee agreement basis - acted for Dr Duncan Kelly and Dr Ray Chiu in an employee inventor compensation dispute with GE Healthcare.

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP rises in the ranking following its hire of a new head of IP, senior patent litigator Gary Moss, who comes from Taylor Wessing LLP with an associate and clients including Visto Corp - which Moss is advising on patent litigation again RIM. Hiroshi Sheraton, is ‘skilled’ and ‘analytical’, while Justin Hill is ‘extremely impressive’, ‘one of the pre-eminent patent prosecution attorneys in the EU, with a phenomenal grasp of even the most complex and obscure patent issues’.

Mishcon de Reya has taken 'invaluable', 'intelligent, confident and professional' trade mark and brands specialist Simon Tracey from Davenport Lyons. He joins a practice which has also recently been boosted by the promotion of Adam Morallee to the partnership. Jeremy Hertzog is recommended for soft IP litigation, and Martyn Hann for patents.

Nabarro LLP’s trade mark practice, led by Guy Heath, advises some major brands, and was recently appointed to take over Intel Corp’s UK trade mark filing and litigation work. Jonathan Radcliffe has been handling patent litigation for ratiopharm GmbH.

Norton Rose LLP has lost Matthew Harris but hired a new head of contentious IP, patent litigator Jonathan Ball, who was formerly a partner at DMH Stallard LLP. Non-contentious partner Mike Knapper has ‘a strong understanding of IP issues’.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s ‘excellent’ team includes Iain Connor, a new partner hire from Addleshaw Goddard LLP, who is ‘highly recommended’ and acted for Interflora in high-profile trade mark infringement proceedings against Marks & Spencer and Flowers Direct, which have been referred to the ECJ.

Redd is an ‘excellent’ IP boutique that is ‘particularly good value for money, charging less than the major firms who offer an equivalent service’. Headed by the ‘extremely experienced’ Charters Macdonald-Brown, the team also includes the ‘diligent and knowledgeable’ Sara Ashby. Both have recently been heavily involved in patent litigation. Licensing partner Simon Chalkley is ‘extremely good at understanding the commercial concerns of lay clients’.

Reed Smith has an industrial IP and media-focused practice. Head of IP Michael Skrein is ‘very clever and very good at lateral thinking’, while Carolyn Pepper is ‘very personable, bright and doesn’t panic’. Patent litigator Alison Dennis has moved to Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, while brands and copyright litigator Emma Lenthall has been made up as a partner.

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s team head Jeremy Drew has ‘great knowledge of advertising and marketing matters’. The ‘pragmatic and client-focused’ Oliver Bray has been advising the HMV Group on the licensing of content. Universal Music Group is a new client win.

Slaughter and May’s ‘fabulous’ team has been boosted by the promotion to the partnership of ‘very strong’ transactional IP lawyer David Ives. ‘Knowledgeable and approachable’ head of IP Susie Middlemiss has been advising the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines on a technology patent action. Cathy Connolly is a ‘clear thinker’ and Rob Sumroy is a ‘brilliant negotiator’.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has lost partners Margaret Tofalides and Michele Boote but recruited associate Emma Armitage from DLA Piper UK LLP. IP litigation head Monica Burch ‘delivers services to our full satisfaction’, and is advising the FA in a passing off and copyright dispute before the Court of Appeal.

Ashurst LLP’s IP licensing clients describe a ‘very proactive and timely service’. Mark Lubbock is ‘very experienced, with good pharmaceutical industry knowledge’. He recently advised new client William Hill on an acquisition.

Headed by the well-regarded Margaret Briffa, IP boutique Briffa has been advising on a patent licence dispute in the London Court of International Arbitration. Ralph Wehrle has recently been involved in a complex anti-counterfeiting case.

Charles Russell LLP’s well-regarded Patrick Gearon heads a group which gives ‘exceptionally responsive, commercial, robust advice’, and has recently set up a new trade mark registration and protection team.

Davenport Lyons has lost Simon Tracey to Mishcon de Reya, but hired litigation and trade mark prosecution partner Adam Glass, formerly in-house at News International.

Dechert LLP has a very strong trade mark filing practice, headed by Paul Kavanagh. Kavanagh successfully acted for Karen Millen in a landmark case over unregistered design infringement in the Irish Commercial Court.

Eversheds LLP’s London IP practice is headed by John Hull, who has been advising Costa on trade mark issues.

Fasken Martineau LLP wins a place in the ranking following the hire of new patent litigation partner Jeremy Morton from Simmons & Simmons. Ralph Cox ‘exhibits detailed knowledge and meticulous attention to detail’ and has a focus on IP litigation in the telecoms, electronics and IT industries.

Hammonds LLP’s ‘pragmatic, practical and committed’ litigator Carl Rohsler heads a team which has been advising Watermark Publishing in a complex copyright dispute.

K&L Gates’ Dominic Bray has been advising the trading division of the largest privately owned construction company in the UK on a claim about alleged copyright/design right infringement. The firm has also been growing its patent litigation practice.

Kemp Little LLP’s contentious IP partner Paul Garland is ‘approachable and easy to work with’ and has ‘excellent business understanding’. Clients include LOVEFILM International.

Latham & Watkins’ joint head of global IP Larry Cohen has been advising Alba plc (now Harvard International plc) in a complex 16-patent infringement action brought by eight major electronics manufacturers. Cohen ‘instantly grasps where we are coming from and we have never had to steer him back on target. Pragmatic but suitably ruthless’. Gail Crawford is a newly made up transactional IP partner.

Macfarlanes LLP has ‘a close-knit, personable IP group’ that is ‘excellent, confident with technology and pretty much unflappable’, with a strong stable of brands clients. Team head Geoff Steward has ‘experience of IP litigation at the highest level’.

Mayer Brown International LLP gives an ‘excellent service’ and has a cross-border IP practice, where Ian Wood has been very active on patent litigation, including defending wholesale voice carrier WaveCrest in High Court technology patent litigation. Mary Bagnall is ‘fantastically intelligent’. The trade marks practice has particular expertise in colour marks.

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP’s IP practice has the ‘particular and unusual strength of coming into existing litigation, particularly in heavy technical patent cases before the European Patent Office, and using their litigation experience and saviness to take the case forward in a new way, resulting in victory for the client’. David Perkins is a ‘huge asset’, and heads a team that has been acting for ImClone Systems Inc in a multi-jurisdictional inventorship dispute.

At Osborne Clarke, the brands practice is strong and the ‘excellent yet personable’ Theo Savvides has been developing the patent litigation practice, and also advising Stanelco on multi-jurisdictional patent infringement actions.

Roiter Zucker Solicitors’ Clare Tunstall has been acting for Teva UK in an action for the revocation of Lundbeck’s patent for an anti-depressant, in a landmark case which went to the House of Lords.

Speechly Bircham LLP’s Alex Carter-Silk has been advising new client LK Bennett in 3-D trade mark and design infringement proceedings. Paul Harris has ‘a very astute business brain’.

Stephenson Harwood joins the ranking thanks to the recruitment of contentious IP partner Eifion Morris from Clifford Chance, where he was an associate. He brings contentious brands and design protection work and international brand and portfolio management expertise, and joins a team led by Lucy Harrold which has expertise in advising oil and gas companies on the infringement of technology and design patents.