The Legal 500

This dynamic firm of intellectual property attorneys and solicitors is one of the fastest growing practices in the UK, with first class leading expertise in a number of sectors, including digital, electronics, computing, telecoms, life sciences, chemistry and cleantech. EIP has a wide range of in-house capabilities, including patent and trademark prosecutors, IP litigators, patent searchers and IP strategists.

The firm: EIP is known for its forward-thinking approach and its ability to handle highly complex and valuable matters, including litigation with a multinational dimension. With 34 professional staff members located in four offices and across ten practice areas, EIP has the experience and resources to support clients’ efforts to build a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio.

The firm ethos is built on tangible added value deriving from a thirst for successful outcomes. Since 2000, EIP has accomplished that with a succession of major client gains primarily through word of mouth. The electronics group, EIP Digital, is a leading patent practice in the UK for communications, computing, and the ever-increasing range of electronic devices. EIP provides unrivalled expertise in these areas to clients around the world. Comprising 26 specialists and acknowledged experts, the digital team’s reputation has been built by its attorneys’ breadth of expertise and their in-depth understanding of technologies in these areas.

As well as being known for its expertise and strength in depth in electronics, computing and telecoms, EIP is now able to offer a complete range of services which is far more comprehensive than that of the majority of its competitors. This follows a period of continuing and significant growth for EIP in new areas of technical and legal services. Of particular significance was the formation of EIP Legal, a litigation and related legal services offering led by UK IP lawyer Gary Moss. This marks EIP out as being one of the few specialist IP firms able to offer an all-round service covering all aspects of IP including prosecution, licensing, transactional and litigation, as well as IP strategists and dedicated patent searchers.

Following a string of hires of highly experienced patent attorneys at partner level in 2010 and 2011 in the chemical, life sciences and pharmaceuticals sectors, EIP can now claim to have a significant presence in these areas as well.

EIP’s capabilities are now being recognised by the range and level of clients which it is attracting. The firm prides itself on its responsive approach to clients, blending exceptional legal and technical expertise with quality of service. The firm aims to add maximum value to its services by adapting these to the priorities of its clients and working alongside their legal and technical teams.

The firm’s distinctive set of ten practice groups (EIP Brands, EIP Designs, EIP Digital, EIP Dynamics, EIP Elements, EIP Green, EIP Legal, EIP Life, EIP Search, and EIP Strategy) reflect its modern take on an established image of patent and trademark attorney firms, and marks EIP as a highly innovative practice.

Types of work undertaken: Digital expertise continues to be the largest of the firm’s sectors. The EIP Digital team has been engaged in a number of high-profile patent litigation cases in the UK and the US. The client base includes many high-profile and innovative organisations in electronics, computing and telecoms.

The chemical, life sciences and pharmaceuticals groups EIP Elements and EIP Life, provide world-class patent expertise in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, polymers, food ingredients, and process chemistry, and have a wealth of technical knowledge and experience in dealing with the biotechnology and health sectors.

The IP litigation and dispute resolution team EIP Legal comprises three solicitors and a renowned expert on European patent law, offering high-profile case law experience, and licensing and technology transfer capabilities across all sectors.

Strategic IP matters are provided by way of consulting services by the EIP Strategy team. The cleantech practice EIP Green and the mechanical and heavy engineering group, EIP Dynamics, account for a significant part of the firm’s workload. The expertise of the trademark practice EIP Brands is complemented by the registered designs team, EIP Designs.

Other offices: Bath, Cardiff, Leeds

Breakdown of work %
IP filing and prosecution 70
IP litigation 20
IP strategy 10

Number of UK Partners 15

Number of other UK fee-earners 19

Total staff 62