Birketts LLP continues to bolster its IP practice with hires at junior level, which attests to the importance of this work to its corporate clients. The firm handles the full range of IP work, with Maria Peyman in Cambridge taking the lead on disputes. Her team is ‘very good at demystifying the highly technical and complex nature of patent law’. Non-contentious work is also led from Cambridge by the ’responsive, commercially aware and supportive’ Quentin Golder, with support from Andrew Priest, who is an accredited IP specialist in Scotland. Melanie Harvey in Ipswich oversees the trade marks and branding team. Alec Cameron left in late 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Highly experienced and very approachable team led by Maria Peyman. The team is very good at demystifying the highly technical and complex nature of patent law and quick in gaining an understanding of our issues and priorities.’
‘Maria Peyman and Emily Broadrick quickly grasped the practical aspects of our case. They took time to view first hand the product and technology to understand its workings and were then expert in then identifying the critical product protection issues - guiding us through prior art, enforcement strategies and defences to allegations of infringement.’
‘Our experience with our partner has been excellent - he is responsive, commercially aware and supportive. We feel confidence going into negotiations using Quentin Golder as our legal support.’
‘We have worked with Quentin Golder for a number of years. We have found that he understands our business and always gives a practical approach to issues in both commercial and corporate agreements. We enjoy the fact that we are dealing directly with the partner.’
‘They have a very strong IP team led by Maria Peyman and ably supported by Emily Broadrick and others. They are excellent at identifying the key issues, working out the pressure points, and creating a strategy that maximises the prospects of achieving their client's objectives.’
‘Maria Peyman has excellent judgment, and is outstanding at spotting the issues that are likely to determine the litigation, and working out how best to press the right levers that is most likely to achieve a successful outcome for the client. Emily Broadrick is extremely diligent and efficient.’
Key clients
- Greene King Brewing and Retailing Limited
- Big Drop Brewing Company Limited
- Kingfisher Insurance Services Limited
- John F Hunt Group Limited
- Caterham EVO Limited
- Muntons PLC
- CPL Aromas
- One for Fun Limited
Work highlights
Conducting a range of work for Greene King, including portfolio management, investigations for portfolio growth, filing strategy discussions, prosecution of trade mark applications through to registration. Advised Greene King on concerns about third party use. Initiated and defended oppositions in the UK to enforce Greene King’s earlier rights and have successfully overcome UKIPO Registry refusals.
Advised Big Drop Brewing Co for a number of years, and we successfully challenged an application filed by Alcohol Change UK to register DRY JANUARY as a trade mark. The opposition (no. O/0131/24) succeeded on 20 February 2024 and costs were awarded to Big Drop Brewing Co.
Advising Kingfisher Insurance, one of the UK’s leading specialist insurance brokers on their trade mark portfolio and that of their Group Companies. Having reviewed their portfolio, recommended additional filings based on changes in operation since their earlier 2020 filings; performing Recordals at UKIPO for acquired or otherwise purchased trade marks.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Melanie Harvey; Maria Peyman; Quentin Golder
Other key lawyers
Andrew Priest; Emily Broadrick