International life sciences firm Goodwin has a strong base in Cambridge, where experienced partners handle IPOs, financings, and patent strategies for a stellar roster of clients. Practice co-heads Malcolm Bates, who focuses on the commercialisation of IP rights, and Tim Worden, who deals with licensing and partnering deals, R&D and clinical trials agreements, are the key contacts. Worden, who is '‘very insightful and helpful', recently advised Closed Loop Medicine on its global co-development partnership with Pharmanovia, which commercialises novel medicines and revitalizes, extends and expands the lifecycle of established medicines. Associate Georgia Powell is a key adviser on non-contentious IP and commercial matters in the life sciences, technology and healthcare sectors.

At Mills & Reeve LLP, 'the IP team has an excellent 'can do' attitude and its responsiveness and communications are superb'. Led by Mark Pearce, who works from both the Leeds and Cambridge offices, the practice is active in both contentious and advisory matters for clients in the technology, life sciences, automotive, food and agriculture, and education sectors. Head of life sciences James Fry is a key adviser to numerous global companies, among them GSK. He assisted F-star Therapeutics with an international strategic discovery collaboration and licence agreement. Principal associates Richard Plaistowe and Nicola Hanglin 'show humour, restraint, and patience' in complex matters.

The IP group at Mishcon de Reya LLP is led by David Rose in London, but the innovation department in the Cambridge office plays a central role in the firm's offering. It brings together lawyers, trade mark attorneys and patent attorneys to assist start-ups and established companies in the technology, media and life sciences sectors. The group is 'very easy to work with, smooth and efficient', and head of the international technology team Patrick Farrant is the local lead partner. He is supported by experienced IP litigator Gareth Dickson, trade marks and brands strategist Louisa Dixon, and managing associate Laura Aldridge, who focuses on brand protection.

Specialist brand management firm Stobbs IP in Cambridge continues to blaze a trail in the intellectual property world and clients note that it ‘does things differently and is always innovating‘. The firm counts Liverpool FC, Harley-Davidson USA, Meta, Foo Fighters and Pharrell Williams among its clients. The ‘approachable, knowledgeable, pragmatic‘ head of dispute management Chris Sleep is the key contact. The firm currently manages more than 40,000 trade marks and approximately 10,000 domain names, along with other rights such as registered designs. Alongside its trade mark prosecution portfolio, it also handles numerous trade mark oppositions and other contentious matters.

Taylor Wessing LLP has 'exceptional knowledge, particularly in contractual matters related to the commercialisation of early-stage technologies'. IP strategy, acquisition, enforcement and commercialisation are at the core of the firm's international offering as a key adviser to the life sciences sector. IP specialist Adrian Toutoungi leads a practice in Cambridge that has the 'ability to apply depth of knowledge to find resolutions that could otherwise be deal breakers'. 'Highly responsive and quick to engage', Colin McCall is a highly regarded life sciences licensing and commercialisation partner. Up-and-coming partner Tasmina Goraya handles a broad range of regulatory and compliance issues relating to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food supplements, human cells, and tissue.

The Cambridge office of Birketts LLP is home to the core or its intellectual property practice, principally through IP disputes specialist Maria Peyman and technology partner Quentin Golder. Legal director and barrister Alec Cameron also assists with contentious IP matters, and Andrew Priest focuses on non-contentious matters including copyright and brand protection. Legal director Melanie Harvey, who is ' exceptional in her role', leads the trade marks and branding team from Ipswich. The firm is known for 'responsive service with quick turnaround times'. Golder assisted NIAB with the assignment of trade marks and plant breeder varieties as part of the sale of its strawberry breeding business.

Marks & Clerk has a national IP practice that comprises solicitors, patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys. Partner Simon Portman is the key contact in its  Cambridge office, where the focus is on the commercialisation of IP and other issues with a commercial component, including strategy, risk limitation, due diligence, brand protection, portfolio management, commercial contracts and industry-specific regulatory issues. Portman frequently advises companies on AI patent applications, including compliance issues within the EU AI Act.

At Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP, 'the entire team exhibits exceptional expertise', and clients note that they 'consistently receive high-level service at a reasonable price'. The firm-wide IP practice is led by Rachel Bradley in Cambridge, Anna Frankum in London, and Chris Shelley in Oxford. Bradley's 'responsive. co-ordinated, friendly' team in East Anglia advises on patents, designs, trade marks, copyright and rights in confidential information to clients in the life sciences, publishing, and not-for-profit sectors. Bradley recently assisted The Company of Biologists with contractual negotiations for the licensing of copyright in its scientific journals.

Evolve Intellectual Property joins the ranking this year having continued to expand its client roster. Lead partner Stephen Gurney built up extensive in-house experience before forming the firm in 2022. He is a  European, UK and Australian patent attorney, and he combines strong pharmaceutical and IP knowledge to assist with drug development and IP,  portfolio management and prosecution, licensing, due diligence, and litigation. He recently assisted biopharmaceutical company Pharma Mar S.A. with the development of its UP strategy.

Norwich firm Fosters delivers intellectual property advice through its 'In House' service, which is led by commercial partner Jamie Arnall, though associate Charlotte Darkins leads on IP matters. She is 'extremely clear and concise' in her advice, which is largely directed at clients in the sports industry. She recently assisted Zatu Limited, the largest independent games retailer in the UK, with an application for international trademarks within the EU, United States of America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Greenwoods handles both non-contentious and contentious IP matters, though its main focus is on disputes through litigation partner Jamie McConnell in Peterborough, who leads the technology practice. He handles IP rights claims alongside his broad portfolio of commercial disputes. He also draws on the firm's corporate and commercial group to advise on licensing matters. He recently advised clients in the entertainment and technology industries on contentious regulatory and partnership matters.