Nick Smee > Browne Jacobson LLP > Birmingham, England > Lawyer Profile

Browne Jacobson LLP advises household names in a range of industries, including fragrance, automotive, beverage and charity brands. Alongside its IP litigation practice, the firm also advises on research and development agreement negotiations and licensing arrangements. The firm has further expanded its expertise in the green tech practice; attracting a number of new clean tech companies. Mark Daniels leads the practice from Birmingham, specialising in patent, trademark, database and copyright matters. Nick Smee enhances the firm’s experience in grant-funded collaborations, patent licensing and IP litigation. Jess Zareh is another key name, working on both contentious and transactional IP matters. Selina Hinchcliffe left the practice in July 2023.

Particularly active in the automotive, beauty, green technology, and retail sectors, Browne Jacobson LLP is well-regarded for its IP litigation capabilities, for which Nick Smee is a key contact. On the non-contentious side, the practice is also geared to handle blockchain matters, licensing, payments, portfolio management, as well as R&D agreements. Head of IP and technology and trade mark specialist Declan Cushley enjoys over two decades of experience in the sector. Mark Daniels leads the patents sphere and is noted for his strength in IP strategy and enforcement, as well as contentious copyright, database, and patent work. Other key members of the team include Cat Driscoll and Kulpreet Virdi, who are proficient in commercial contracts.

Advising further education and higher education institutions in a range of matters, Browne Jacobson LLP‘s higher and further education team is co-led by Bettina Rigg in Exeter and Dominic Swift in Birmingham. While Rigg emphasises employment law, student matters, equality, diversity and inclusion and discrimination claims, Swift is an expert in property development and regeneration. Nick Smee is the key contact for intellectual property and Scott Mounfield is the department’s construction specialist, in contentious and non-contentious matters. Nathalie Jacoby-Danesh joined the department from Mills & Reeve in April 2023, bolstering the firm’s regulatory and charities offerings. Selina Hinchliffe departed to Shakespeare Martineau LLP in June 2023.