Powell Gilbert LLP > Firm Profile

Powell Gilbert LLP is a specialist IP law firm dedicated to serving clients across the full spectrum of knowledge-driven industries, from cutting-edge high technologies through to creative and brands-driven businesses. Created in 2007, the firm quickly established itself as one of the largest, most innovative and most highly regarded IP teams in the United Kingdom, with unrivalled patent litigation experience and a blue-chip brands practice.

The firm: Powell Gilbert’s lawyers include some of the leading practitioners in the field. The firm provides comprehensive expertise in litigation and strategic counselling work across all IP fields, including patent advice spanning all areas of technology, as well as insightful advice on all aspects of trade marks, copyright, design rights, passing off, confidential information and related areas. Its lawyers combine extensive legal experience with commercial insight and practical know-how to provide client-focused and cost-effective business solutions. Technical expertise at Powell Gilbert is second to none; almost all of its lawyers have technical backgrounds, many having PhDs in relevant scientific disciplines. Seven of the partners are solicitor advocates and one is a qualified mediator.

Types of work undertaken:  Powell Gilbert’s lawyers have experience across the full spectrum of patent litigation, gained from acting in cases across a wide range of technologies and industries. This experience ranges from acting in some of the leading biotechnology patent cases to involvement in smartphone wars and FRAND disputes.

The firm has appeared in many of the most technically complex and legally challenging cases in the UK Patents Courts, including in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords/Supreme Court. Powell Gilbert was involved in the first patent case in the Supreme Court and in references to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the EFTA court, on the supplementary protection certificate regulation. It also represents clients in smaller claims before the UK’s IP Enterprise Court.

The firm’s flourishing brands practice acts for some of the world’s most sophisticated businesses, and has a track record of devising and delivering creative solutions to meet clients’ commercial objectives, often without the need to serve legal proceedings.

The firm is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, particularly in relation to patent and technology licences. If litigation is unavoidable, the firm can offer solicitor advocacy services, as appropriate to the case.

A distinguishing feature of Powell Gilbert is the expertise and experience of its lawyers in co-ordinating complex cases and successfully guiding clients through multinational patent litigation. Its lawyers have assisted in cases before many overseas courts, including in continental Europe, Scandinavia, the United States (District Court and ITC proceedings), Australia, China, Korea and Japan. It also represents clients in European Patent Office (EPO) opposition proceedings and other registry proceedings.

With a wealth of experience of devising, and co-ordinating, pan-European litigation strategy, the firm is well placed to assist in all matters relating to European patent litigation, including involvement in the training of potential UPC judges and being part of the UK Intellectual Property Office’s advisory group on implementation of the UPC.

As one of Europe’s leading patent litigation firms, its deep expertise, broad procedural experience, technical strengths and the ability to communicate arguments clearly and concisely gives the firm a tactical advantage for representing clients in the UPC.

Languages: Cantonese, English, Finnish, French, German and Mandarin

Lawyer Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Simon Ayrton	Partner specialising in intellectual property litigation.  Work covers advising on full range…	View Profile
	Zoë Butler	Specialises in contentious intellectual property matters; practice covers full range of IP…	View Profile
	Peter Damerell	Partner specialising in contentious IP matters; practice covers full range of IP…	View Profile
	Dr Penny Gilbert	Partner specialising in advising on IP rights including patent litigation, licence disputes…	View Profile
	Dr Bethan Hopewell	Partner specialising in contentious intellectual property matters; practice covers full range of…	View Profile
	Mr Siddharth Kusumakar	Partner specialising in patent litigation in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices…	View Profile
	Ari Laakkonen	Specialises in electronics patent litigation and IT disputes, as well as advising…	View Profile
	Mr Tom Oliver	Specialises in intellectual property litigation.  Advising across the range of intellectual properties…	View Profile
	Tim Powell	Partner specialising in intellectual property litigation and healthcare regulatory advice; solicitor advocate.…	View Profile
	Tim Whitfield	Partner advising on contentious IP matters, with a focus on patent litigation…	View Profile
	Alex Wilson	Partner specialised in intellectual property; extensive experience of multi-jurisdictional patent disputes in…	View Profile