Barker Brettell LLP frequently represents clients before the UKIPO and the WIPO, and it is well equipped to assist with a significant volume of trade mark filings, prosecutions, and enforcements, as well as oppositions, revocations, and cancellations. The team works closely with the firm’s Swedish office, which handles EU trade mark filings and provides a seamless offering to the firm’s UK and EU-based clients. Also notable is the firm’s regular referrals from US-based law firms regarding trade mark mandates. Catherine Wiseman chairs the practice from Birmingham with a client portfolio that includes UK, EU, and global companies. Wiseman is strong in global portfolio management, and freedom to use and register trade marks, fillings, and prosecutions. Lucy Walker is skilled in the enforcement of rights domestically and internationally, as well as due diligence reviews while, sustainability partner Tracy Arch is particularly focused on the FMCG, food and drink, and hospitality sectors. Head of the firm’s cosmetics group, Rosalyn Newsome, advises clients from the social networking and technology industries, as well as those in the construction and engineering sectors. ‘Superstar trade mark attorney’ Ian Pearce is skilled in brand protection, exploitation, and enforcement matters.

With offices in the UK, Germany, and Spain, the ‘first-rate‘ trade mark group at Boult Wade Tennant LLP is active in oppositions before the UKIPO, EPO, and WIPO. It also undertakes a significant volume of trade mark filings and is well equipped to handle large portfolio management mandates and brand protection work. Rachel Conroy leads the practice, and she is ably supported by Emma Pitcher, who is active in supporting India-based clients. Catherine Wolfe is sought after by clients located in China. Following Nick McLeish ’s retirement in May 2023, Tony Pluckrose has taken over as senior partner with expertise across both the trade mark and the patents arena.

D Young & Co LLP has offices in London, Southhampton, and Munich and endeavours to provide clients with a seamless pan-European trade mark offering, including support with filing and enforcement mandates, and frequently appearing before the UKIPO and EUIPO. Trade mark litigation expert Tamsin Holman sits at the helm of the department with expertise in international disputes, and solicitor Anna Reid is a key member of her team. Richard Burton boasts expertise in handling large trade mark portfolios, while the ‘excellent’ Gemma Kirkland is skilled in advising on trade mark filing strategies and cancellation actions.

Leeds-based David Potter chairs the trade mark department at HGF Limited, with the ‘extremely thorough’ Jonathan Thurgood in London sitting as co-chair. The firm boasts 25 offices spread across Europe, enabling it to provide clients with a seamless offering from IP inception to commercialisation. The group is well equipped to handle defence and enforcement matters, as well as portfolio management, oppositions, and litigation strategies for multinational companies. Lee Curtis (Manchester) is notable for his expertise in filing and prosecuting trade mark applications, while Stephanie Loeffler-Reading (London) has handled global projects in the pharmaceutical sector. Geoff Smith boasts expertise in international IP protection strategies, and Richard Wylie is skilled in trade mark clearance and registration for clients in the food and beverage arena.

With offices in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Paris, and Munich, J A Kemp is well placed to obtain trade mark protection for a wide range of clients, including those from the US, Japan, and Scandinavia. James Fish sits at the helm of the practice with significant experience in conducting multi-jurisdictional clearance searching and filing strategies, while Tom Albertini leads the designs team. Charlotte Stirling handles contentious trade mark matters for start-ups, as well as household name clients. Another key name in the team is Oxford-based Ben Mooneapillay, whose client base consists of SMEs and large corporates in the luxury goods, entertainment, sports, food, fashion, and gaming sectors, to name a few.

Kilburn & Strode LLP offers clients cross-border advice on filing programmes, disputes, and enforcement matters. The group frequently represents clients before the UKIPO, EUIPO, and WIPO, and growing areas for the team include online enforcement and anti-counterfeiting mandates. Iain Stewart, who divides his time between the UK and the Netherlands, solely leads the team with portfolio management being a core element of his practice. The ‘absolutely exceptional’ Rowena Tolley has a growing UK client base, while Ryan Pixton is well placed to handle multinational filings and opposition proceedings. Previous co-head Carrollanne Lindley has moved into a consultancy role.

Mewburn Ellis LLP boasts offices in London, Bristol, Manchester, Cambridge, and Munich, and is therefore well placed to support clients on all of their domestic and European trade mark and brand protection matters. The team assists clients throughout the entirety of their brand lifecycles, from creation and registration to enforcement and portfolio management. It also handles a wide range of disputes, including oppositions, cancellations, revocations, and infringement actions, and it regularly appears before the UKIPO, DPMA, and EUIPO. Andy King took over as chair of the department in November 2023 with expertise in filing strategies and invalidity actions. Previous practice head Kate O’Rourke has a focus on the leisure and hospitality sector, and she continues to act for clients in the international enforcement of their trade marks. Other key members of the team include Jacqueline Pang and Bristol-based Rebecca Anderson-Smith, who advises start-ups and market leaders in the pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare, and MedTech industries.

Murgitroyd boasts a global network of offices across Europe, North America, and Asia, enabling it to support clients seamlessly across a range of industries, including the automotive, engineering and energy, life sciences, and technology and media sectors, amongst others. Managing director and practice head Joanne Lecky in Belfast is praised for her ‘legal brilliance and strategic foresight’, while Dewdney Drew is another key name to note as head of the firm’s IP portfolio and domain name practice. Steve Waine in London is highly experienced across the entire range of trade mark-related mandates, from filing and prosecution to litigation and portfolio management. Leeds-based litigator Alan Fiddes is also an active team member, as is dual qualified trade mark and patent attorney Jacqueline McKay in Glasgow.

Potter Clarkson LLP boasts seven offices across London, Nottingham, Glasgow, Sweden, and Denmark, which enables the firm to provide clients with a seamless cross-border offering regarding their trade mark mandates. Registration, enforcement, brand clearance, and due diligence are all within the team’s strong capabilities, as well as representing clients in litigation. Sectors of activity for the group include life sciences, electronics, engineering, and energy, among others. Former practice head Sanjay Kapur has moved into a consultancy role, and the team is now led by clearance expert Emmy Hunt. Both Hunt and Cameron Malone-Brown, who was promoted to partner at the beginning of 2024, are praised as ‘superb’. Sarah Talland is another notable team member, with expertise in global filing programmes and contentious matters.

Stobbs IP is well equipped to service UK and European-based clients, with offices situated in London, Cambridge, Munich, Dublin, and Eindhoven. Its client base encompasses start-ups and multi-national organisations from the fashion, technology, publishing, food and beverage, and sports sectors. With expertise in both contentious and non-contentious mandates, firm founder Julius Stobbs sits at the helm of the team, which assists clients with a large volume of trade mark filings, in addition to representing them in IPEC, High Court, and Court of Appeal cases. Other key figures include Chris Sleep, who is in charge of dispute management. Geoff Steward has left the practice.

AA Thornton is sought after by clients in the cosmetics, fashion, food and drink, media, pharmaceuticals, and retail industries for drafting, filing, and prosecuting trade mark applications, with niche experience in advising on certification marks, collective marks, and geographical indications. The team also boasts expertise in assisting with IP strategies, domestic and international portfolio management, transactions, and licensing mandates. Sarah Darby leads the team and manages the global trade mark portfolios of high-profile brands, as does dual-qualified trade mark and patent attorney Ian Gill. Sarah Neil is another name of note in the trade marks team.

Specialist IP firm Appleyard Lees is particularly active in the computing, fashion, and FMCG sectors, and assists clients across the full range of trade mark-related mandates, including with licensing and commercialisation of existing rights. Bobby Smithson heads up the practice, and he is ably supported by Leeds-based Robert Cumming and Chris Hoole in Cambridge, both of whom are dual qualified as trade mark attorneys and solicitors. Cumming handles multi-jurisdictional disputes, while Hoole frequently works on global anti-counterfeiting campaigns.

The IP team at Baker McKenzie is well positioned to assist clients with their global portfolio management, with offices situated worldwide. The team also engages in the entire remit of trade mark-related mandates, including litigation, clearance, filing and prosecution, in addition to registration and disputes surrounding domain and company names. Additionally, it has substantial experience in representing clients before the High Court, IPEC, UKIPO, and the Appointed Persons. Jessica Le Gros leads the firm’s trade mark registration practice from London, with expertise in global prosecution proceedings, while Rachel Wilkinson-Duffy is sought after for her knowledge of global filing strategies and IP-related transactions. Nadine Archer is also a key member of the team.

Praised for its ‘exceptional depth of expertise‘ Beck Greener LLP is a go-to practice for assistance with domestic and international work that encompasses a range of non-contentious and contentious mandates, including trade mark strategy, clearance, anti-counterfeiting, portfolio management, prosecution, and litigation. The group is especially active in the media and entertainment, professional and financial services, life sciences, fashion, and beauty industries, to name a few. Ian Bartlett chairs the department, and he has frequently appeared before the UKIPO. Rowland Buehrlen leads the firm’s Alicante office, while UK trade mark attorney and Irish trade mark agent Catherine Jewell is skilled at defending brands through opposition proceedings.

Bird & Bird LLP is praised by one client for its ‘impressive depth of knowledge for all trade mark matters’. The group handles a wide range of brand management work in the trade mark space, including clearance, strategy, filing, prosecution, and litigation. Media, entertainment, computer games, sports, and retail are all areas of activity for the group and a growing area of interest for clients, which the firm assists with the use of AI in their products and services. Key names in the team include dual-qualified trade mark attorneys and solicitors Mark Holah and Allan Poulter. Christine Danos heads up the international product design filing practice, while Emma Green leads the firm's international wellness group, which supports newly established clients in the sustainability, food, women's health, and innovation industries.

With a team of trade mark attorneys and solicitors, Bristows LLP provides clients with an all-encompassing trade mark offering, advising on the registration of rights to their protection and enforcement through litigation both in the UK and the EU. This includes assistance with clearance searches, advertising, and representation before trade mark registries in disputes. The hospitality, technology, and telecoms sectors remain areas of growth for the department. Paul Jordan and Nellie Jackson jointly lead the practice with the support of Ian Gruselle, who is well placed to handle worldwide trade mark portfolios.

Roger Lush sits at the helm of the trade marks practice at Carpmaels & Ransford LLP, which handles the entire lifecycle of mandates, from clearance searches and registration, to enforcement, disputes, litigation, and licensing, as well as contractual and transactional matters. The team also frequently represents clients before the UKIPO, EUIPO, and WIPO. Industries in which the team is especially active include the entertainment and sports, healthcare, luxury brands, consumer goods, and technology sectors, among others. Jonathan Day is dual qualified as a trade mark attorney and solicitor and he supports clients with anti-counterfeiting matters and enforcement strategies. Lara Elder is another notable name in trade mark infringement and passing off cases.

Cleveland Scott York is adept at managing trade mark portfolios for clients in the financial services, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, transport, and fashion industries. Additionally, the team frequently engages in oppositions before the UKIPO and EPO. The ‘brilliant trade mark’ department is co-led by Lorna Hobbs and Jonathan Clegg. Other key names include dual-qualified trade mark attorney and solicitor Claire Birro and Hertfordshire-based Andrew Clemson, who is experienced in registering trade marks globally.

With access to a global network of offices situated across the UK, Europe, and Asia, CMS’s trade marks group provides clients with a seamless cross-border offering that encompasses all elements of soft IP mandates. This offering includes advice on due diligence, clearance, and transactional mandates, and prosecutions and contentious proceedings before the UKIPO and EPO, as well as strategic portfolio management. Dividing their time between London and Warsaw, Tom Scourfield and Sarah Wright jointly lead the team. Sheffield-based Eleanor Merrett is a trade mark attorney and litigator, and she is especially skilled in brand protection and enforcement. Dual-qualified trade mark attorney and solicitor Kelly Saliger is another active member of the team.

At Gill Jennings & Every LLP, the trade marks department is well equipped to assist clients with their multi-jurisdictional clearance projects, oppositions, and cancellation mandates in the UK and the EU, as well as anti-counterfeiting issues, prosecution, and global trade mark portfolio management. The team’s broad client base ranges from multinational corporations and large UK corporates, to SMEs and start-ups. Chairman Alasdair MacQuarrie leads the trade mark offering and is ably supported by the ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ Edward Carstairs, who heads up the firm’s food and drink practice. Rachael Ward departed at the beginning of 2024.

Haseltine Lake Kempner LLP‘s client bases includes SMEs and global businesses across a wide range of industries, including fashion, toys, automotive, and aerospace engineering. The team advises on the protection, maintenance, and enforcement of trade marks, and is also highly sought after for filing matters. Brand strategy expert Jason Dainty and Chris Morris, who is a key player in trade mark prosecution work, jointly head up the practice. Amanda Mallon is another key member of the team, frequently representing clients before the UKIPO and managing global trade mark portfolios. Brian Whitehead moved to a consultancy role in September 2023.

Marks & Clerk has a core focus on managing the international trade mark portfolios of clients from the creative and entertainment, fashion and retail, financial services, and food and drink industries. This offering encompasses filings, advice on brand protection, and representation in opposition and enforcement proceedings before the UKIPO and EPO. Birmingham-based Esther Gottschalk heads up the UK and EU trade mark practice, and she has expertise in assisting US corporates with the management of their global portfolios. Also in Birmingham, French and Spanish-speaking John Ferdinand boasts expertise in the protection of non-traditional trade marks, for example shape marks, as well as international disputes. In London, dual-qualified solicitor and trade mark attorney Michael Barrett has experience in appeals before the Appointed Person.

Mathys & Squire LLP supports clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their trade mark requirements. This offering includes representation in contentious matters before UK and European courts, such as in opposition proceedings, and the team is also handling an increasing number of filings. Helen Cawley joined the firm from D Young & Co LLP in September 2023 and now sits as the team’s practice head with substantial expertise in trade mark prosecution and portfolio management. Rebecca Tew heads up the Birmingham office with notable experience in policing and enforcement strategies. Other key members of the team include Margaret Arnott, who is sought after by clients in the automotive, oil and gas, food and beverage, clothing, e-commerce, charity, and technology sectors, and Gary Johnston, who handles anti-counterfeiting issues.

With offices in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and China, the Anglo-German firm Maucher Jenkins is able to seamlessly offer cross-border trade mark-related advice to its clients. Registration and searches and filing and prosecutions are all areas within the team’s strong capabilities, and sectors of activity for the group include media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, fashion, food and beverages, financial services, and consumer products, to name a few. Katie Cameron has expertise in both contentious and non-contentious mandates, and she is particularly skilled in opposition proceedings before the Community Trade Marks Office, representing clients in French and German. Angela Fox co-leads the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution group, and Tanya Buckley is sought after for her expertise in brand management and portfolio reviews.

Venner Shipley LLP boasts a broad client base that encompasses FTSE100 companies, global corporations, SMEs, and start-ups, and the team is well equipped to advise them on filing, protection, and enforcement strategies. Additionally, the practice is active in trade mark opposition, cancellation, appeal proceedings, and litigation before the UKIPO and EPO. Tunbridge Wells-based Clare Turnbull sits at the helm of the practice and is experienced in contentious matters surrounding complex issues of ownership. Fluent in French, David Birchall in London has notable expertise in working with foreign attorneys regarding registrations and prosecutions in other countries. Another key name is Yoann Rousseau, who is skilled in the management and organisation of IP portfolios.

In 2023, Wilson Gunn opened a new office in Glasgow, adding to its already substantial network of UK offices across Manchester, London, Birmingham, Chesterfield, and Liverpool. Sport, healthcare, fashion, and retail are key sectors of activity for the group, and it continues to file large volumes of trade marks for clients in these industries. Manchester-based practice head Michael Douglas is praised as ‘simply magnificent’ and ‘by far the best trade mark attorney around’. He is ably supported by James Robey, who is notably active in trade mark-related disputes, and patent specialist David Slattery, both of whom are also based in Manchester. Tim Rose (Birmingham) is another key name with expertise in oppositions, invalidations, and revocations before the Boards of Appeal and the EUIPO.

The branding and trade mark team at Bates Wells has a notable roster of impact economy clients, including charities, non-profit organisations, and commercial companies. It is well equipped to handle a broad range of mandates, including trade mark clearance, registration, and portfolio management, transactional work, and contentious matters. The group is also increasingly active in critical campaigning and the related IP issues. ‘Go-to trade mark expert’ Mathew Healey heads up the team with cross-border expertise and significant experience in trade mark licensing matters. The ‘excellent’ Catharina Waller is another key member of the team who is active in rebranding and protection programmes.

Dehns‘s trade mark practice is well positioned to advise clients on UK and EU protection matters, covering searching, registration, and portfolio management, as well as policing and enforcement. Another key area of activity for the group is litigation; it represents clients before all levels of court, including the UKIPO and EPO. Some key names in the group include the ‘excellent prosecutor and trade mark practice leader’ Elaine Deyes, head of the litigation department Paul Harris, senior partner Elizabeth Jones, and managing partner Adrian Samuels.

The trade marks group at Elkington + Fife LLP has an impressive list of well-known clients, including large commercial firms and foreign associates, who utilise the team’s strengths in handling UK and European trade mark portfolios. The practice is also adept at filing applications and opposition work. ‘Titan of the trade mark industry’ and practice head Chris McLeod is praised as ‘a standout performer and seasoned veteran’. Allister McManus is another notable name in the group and his practice encompasses clearance, prosecution, and contentious work.

Fieldfisher’s ‘exceptional‘ IP team has recently been active in high-profile trade mark-related litigation and continues to act for well-known clients across the technology and gaming, retail and fashion, and manufacturing industries. Hastings Guise leads the practice, and he is sought after for his expertise in launching new brands, multi-jurisdictional clearance projects, and providing representation before the UKIPO and EPO in contentious proceedings. Claire Keepax is another key attorney in the team with substantial experience in global trade mark filing strategies. Leighton Cassidy relocated abroad in March 2024.

Lewis Silkin manages the trade mark portfolios for a large volume of household-name and multi-national clients and assists them throughout the lifecycle of their IP rights. This offering includes advice on registration, anti-counterfeiting matters, oppositions, and disputes, as well as representation before the UKIPO and EUIPO through the firm’s office in Dublin. Tom Gaunt chairs the practice with the support of Erika Coccia and Nick Bowie. In team news, Abigail Wise, who has a ‘profound understanding of trade mark law’, was promoted to the partnership in April 2024, and Giles Crown joined Taylor Wessing LLP in February 2024.

Adamson Jones, part of Gateley, has undergone significant expansion since its merger with Gateley, and it now provides a full trade mark offering. This encompasses assistance with clearance watches, registrations, filings, and portfolio management, as well as oppositions. The ‘fantastic’ David Gwilliam heads up the practice, which has a broad client base consisting of technology-focused start-ups, multinationals, and SMEs.

The IP team at Brabners LLP frequently assists clients with their trade mark portfolios, advising on protection, enforcement, and strategy. It is also sought after for its expertise in contentious mandates, including oppositions and cancellations. Colin Bell heads up the department, and Sara Ludlam leads the IP offering in Yorkshire. Other key members of the group include Liverpool-based, dual-qualified director and trade mark attorney Hannah Fawcett and IP litigator Hayley Morgan, who is based in Manchester.

Praised as a ‘great leader‘, Anna Copeman sits at the helm of the IP department at Dentons, which regularly assists clients with IP-related transactions and the purchase of portfolios, large-scale prosecutions, and litigation. Anna Brown is sought after for her expertise in trade mark-related disputes, in particular in infringement actions before the UKIPO. In June 2023, Sinead Mahon joined the firm’s Irish office as a senior trade mark attorney from Lewis Silkin LLP; she is experienced in handling large trade mark portfolios, in addition to oppositions and invalidity actions.

The trade mark practice at DLA Piper is well equipped to advise clients in the media, sports, entertainment, financial services, and retail industries on a wide range of mandates, from trade mark portfolio management, clearance, filing, and prosecution, to opposition and cancellation proceedings. The UK team also benefits from the firm’s global network of offices, enabling it to seamlessly offer advice on cross-border disputes. Ruth Hoy heads up the team, of which Patricia Collis is a key member with global expertise in trade mark-related work.

International IP consultancy firm Novagraaf sits within the Questel group and is sought after by clients to protect and manage their trade mark portfolios. This offering encompasses advice on registration, filing strategies, licensing, and clearing searches, in addition to representation in disputes. Managing director and practice head Vanessa Harrow is ably supported by Laura Morrish, and trade mark attorneys Luke Portnow and Mona Asgari are also active members of the team.

High-value contentious cases and strategic actions form a key part of the trade mark offering at Swindell & Pearson Ltd, which boasts a client base consisting of regional, national, and international companies. Praised by one client as ‘experts in securing and enforcing intellectual property rights across the world‘, the group has been increasingly active in filings and UKIPO opposition, revocation, and cancellation proceedings. At the helm of the practice is Derby-based senior director Nick Womsley, and another notable name is Kieron Taylor, who ‘exemplifies excellence in every aspect of his intellectual property practice’.

The team at Taylor Wessing LLP assists clients with national and cross-border issues, including trade mark-related litigation, portfolio management, and anti-counterfeiting mandates. Roland Mallinson heads up the practice, which has companies from the food and beverage, music and entertainment, retail and luxury fashion, and gaming sectors in its client base, to name a few.