The increasing importance of IP is reflected in the often central role that it assumes in many commercial transactions. A company acquisition may hinge on the value attributed to its brands or the strength of its patent portfolio. Similarly, investors may be reluctant to invest in a software company which cannot prove satisfactorily that it has undisputed rights to its programs.

Working alongside our corporate lawyers, our IP lawyers are skilled in identifying such key issues early on in deals and assessing their significance for the overall transaction.

We have intellectual property specialists who work with our clients to protect and exploit the value of their IP assets. We advise on the full spectrum of IP related issues; assisting with protection strategies and with the registration process, advising on the exploitation of IP rights through licensing or other means and protecting and defending IP rights by litigation. Our IP dispute resolution team has been particularly active in software and internet related disputes. Our team consists of Andrew Horrocks, David Strang, Richard Keady, Jim Dennis, and Alexa Scoones.