Intellectual property

Penningtons Manches Cooper's leading IP team specialises in all aspects of intellectual property law. Our in-depth knowledge and experience enable us to give clear, practical guidance in complex and rapidly evolving areas.

We advise across the full breadth of IP rights including patents, designs, trade marks, copyright and rights in confidential information. The team combines specialists with contentious and non-contentious experience to provide support that is relevant, pro-active and commercially astute. Many of our lawyers are City trained and have technical backgrounds.

We have an extensive transactional IP practice and advise on all types of agreements which focus on IP or have a strong IP element including patent, know how, trade mark and copyright licences (both in- and out- licensing), collaboration agreements (including framework collaboration agreements) and research and development agreements.  In addition, we handle large-scale acquisitions and disposals of IP assets.  Our clients range from small and medium sized businesses to larger plcs and include a number of public sector and charitable institutions, in each case across a broad range of industry sectors, such as life sciences, IT, chemicals, manufacturing, publishing and retail. We also provide IP strategy advice to our clients.

Our expertise in litigation matters encompasses patent litigation, trade mark and passing off litigation and trade mark oppositions, design right infringement, copyright infringement and breach of confidentiality, as well as significant experience with cross-border IP litigation.  We are particularly known for our copyright, design and trade mark infringement work in the fashion, retail and publishing sectors, and for our patent disputes work in the life sciences sector.

We have a substantial international trade mark practice, managing the portfolios of major brand owners from a global US aerospace company to entrepreneurs such as Levi Roots.