Powell Gilbert LLP

Powell Gilbert is a specialist European IP law firm dedicated to advising clients across the full spectrum of knowledge-driven industries, from cutting-edge tech and life sciences companies to creative and brand-driven businesses. The firm has one of the largest, most innovative and most highly regarded IP teams in the UK, with unrivalled patent litigation experience and a blue-chip brands practice.  The firm also advises on complex technology contract disputes and provides IP portfolio assessments and freedom-to-operate projects.

The firm includes some of Europe’s leading IP litigators, the vast majority of whom technical backgrounds, including many with PhDs or master’s degrees in relevant scientific disciplines. The firm also has a dedicated and highly experienced litigation support team.  The PG team appears regularly in cases before the UK patents courts at all levels, including on appeal before the UK Supreme Court, where it has successfully represented clients in a number of precedent-setting cases in recent years.

With a wealth of experience gained from acting in multi-national disputes, PG is frequently involved in devising European patent litigation strategies, acting as co-ordinating counsel and working with local teams to develop cases, prepare evidence and put strategies into effect, thereby ensuring consistency of approach across jurisdictions.

The firm is  actively involved in representing clients in disputes before the Unified Patent Court. Even though the UPC only commenced in June 2023, the PG team has been involved in a number of cases before the new court, including cases before the Nordic-Baltic Regional Division, the Milan Local Division, the Helsinki Local Division, a number of cases brought before German Local Divisions and revocation proceedings before the Central Division.

Practice areas: The firm advises across the full spectrum of IP rights, including patents, brands, design rights, copyright, passing off, confidential information and plant variety rights. Its experience in patent litigation ranges across all technical fields, from acting in the earliest biotechnology patent cases to involvement in the smartphone wars and leading cases on FRAND licensing disputes. It has appeared in many of the most technically complex and legally challenging cases in the UK patent courts and has also represented clients in referrals to the European Court of Justice and the European Free Trade Area Court in relation the requirements for the grant of SPCs. The firm also represents clients in smaller claims before the UK IP Enterprise Court.  Although focused on litigation, the firm is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, particularly in relation to patent and technology licences.

International experience: A distinguishing feature of PG is its pre-eminent reputation for advising and co-ordinating the most complex and high-stakes multi-jurisdictional patent litigation across Europe and beyond. The firm has played a central role in cases before many overseas courts, including in continental Europe, Scandinavia, the UPC, the United States (district court and International Trade Commission proceedings), Australia, China, Korea and Japan.  The firm also frequently represents clients in European Patent Office opposition proceedings and in other registry proceedings, including representing clients before the UK IPO.  This experience is especially valuable for the firm’s work in the UPC.

Languages: Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), English, Finnish, French, German and Punjabi