
Mills & Reeve LLP has a large IP practice across its office network, though Cambridge is the epicentre with three partners. Mark Pearce, who works between Cambridge, Leeds and Oxford, is head of the national IP practice, which calls on the in-depth experience of James Fry, who leads the life sciences group, and newly promoted partner Stephanie Caird, who has extensive in-house experience through secondments at the MHRA and GSK. The firm handles IP matters in the core sectors of education, food and beverage, health and care, life sciences, and technology. It is well-versed in assisting with university IP policies and spinouts, and complex life sciences portfolio disposals and acquisitions, alongside IP litigation and protection. Richard Plaistowe is a key adviser on IP protection, exploitation and contentious matters, and trade mark attorney Nicola Hanglin is highly regarded.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Key clients
- First Light Lamps Limited
- The British Council, the University of Cambridge and IELTS Australia Pty Limited (the “IELTS Partners”)
- Domino Printing Sciences Plc
- Rather Outdoors, LLC. (Fox International Group Limited and Preston Innovations Limited)
- Parkdean Resorts
- MD Orthopaedics
- F-star Therapeutics
- GSK
- Illumina
- Wellcome Sanger Institute
- Peachaus Limited
- Casella Wines
Work highlights
Acting on behalf of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority in an EU trade mark matter appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union and obtaining a strongly favourable decision from the CJEU.
Acting for the Rather Outdoors Group, advising on and managing the protection, enforcement and commercialisation of its IP rights in the UK and abroad.
Advised Illumina on its pilot proteomics program to analyse 50,000 UK Biobank samples in collaboration with deCODE Genetics, Standard BioTools, Tecan, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, and Novartis.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Nicola Hanglin

Richard Plaistowe
Practice head
Mark Pearce
Other key lawyers
James Fry; Stephanie Caird; Richard Plaistowe; Nicola Hanglin