Richard Dickinson > Bristows LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The practice at Bristows LLP acts for major production companies in the financing and production of films, and broadcasters and streaming companies in relation to distribution deals. The team is noted for its advertising capabilities, assisting with promotional and marketing campaigns for film releases. Paul Jordan leads the team and plays a prominent role in matters at the intersection of film, TV, advertising and marketing, while co-head Richard Dickinson focuses on advising broadcasters and production companies on IP rights, content licensing and other commercial transactions.

Sitting within the wider commercial IP and brands practice, the advertising and marketing team at Bristows LLP is retained by notable brands, advertising agencies and industry associations in a wide range of mandates. The team leverages its strength in IP to advise on copyright and trade mark issues related to advertising, and is also skilled in brand endorsement deals and regulatory compliance.  Practice head Paul Jordan focuses on content acquisitions, campaign clearance, marketing campaigns and IP protection. Commercial transactions are handled by Richard Dickinson, while Tim Heaps concentrates on soft IP rights, covering marketing and online brand protection.

Fielding an extensive and varied patents practice that is noted for its ‘fantastic technical ability’, Bristows LLP demonstrates considerable prowess across a myriad of technical sectors, encompassing telecoms, pharmaceuticals, biotech, and electronics, to name a few. On the contentious side, the team frequently manages FRAND and biologics mandates, while on the non-contentious side, the team excels in collaboration and licensing deals, as well as the IP elements of significant corporate deals. Three experienced practitioners lead the team: Robert Burrows, who leverages his knowledge in genetics to assist clients in the life sciences industry, seasoned litigator Andrew Bowler, who routinely coordinates global strategies in the space, and Richard Dickinson, who frequently handles matters pertaining to transactional and advisory work. Liz Cohen possesses experience representing clients up to the Supreme Court, and James Boon operates for a litany of clients in the context of cross-border litigation. Myles Jelf bolsters the group with his strengths in hi-tech patent litigation, while Matthew Warren retains an extensive transactional practice. Other names to note include Claire Smith, Richard Pinckney, Dominic Adair, Brian Cordery, and Greg Bacon.

A major player in a variety of sectors, from pharmaceuticals and biotech to media and luxury goods, Bristows LLP‘s extensive range of capabilities that span the full spectrum of trade mark, copyright, and design issues enables it to be a top choice for blue-chip clients. The team is praised for having the ‘heft, intellect and legal and technical expertise to run the biggest IP litigation’. The practice is jointly led by Richard Dickinson, who possesses particular capabilities in the media and entertainment, consumer products, and retail industries, Nellie Jackson, who is the driving force behind the trade mark portfolio management practice, and Paul Jordan, whose strengths encompass advertising clearance, brand restructuring, and brand launches. Experienced litigator Jeremy Blum and trade mark expert Ian Gruselle further bolster the practice, and Simon Clark is also noted for his wide-ranging experience across contentious and non-contentious mandates.

From the establishment and financing of pioneering life sciences companies to patent litigation and complex IP issues relating to projects and collaborations concerning products and services driven by AI technology, Bristows LLP is active across a wide range of work in the life sciences space. Practice co-head Liz Cohen is a seasoned patent litigator with a proven track record in co-ordinating cross-border litigation. Fellow co-head Richard Dickinson is equipped to assist clients with manufacturing and supply agreements. ‘Standout‘ partner Brian Cordery is active across patent disputes for medicines used to treat conditions such as multiple sclerosis, leukaemia and heart failure, while Alex Denoon‘s regulatory expertise is sought after by clients specialising in disruptive technologies. Robert Burrows‘ expertise extends to plant variety right cases for clients in the life sciences sector, and Claire Smith  advises on a range of commercial partnering agreements. Adrian Chew further extends the patent disputes expertise at the firm.

Noted for its ‘significant experience‘ and ‘pragmatic advice‘, Bristows LLP is adept at handling day-to-day operational contracts, as well as contracts related to large commercial transactions. The group is prolific in the pharmaceutical and IP industries, calling upon the biochemistry knowledge of practice head Richard Dickinson, who brings significant expertise in commercial transactions to clients. Major clients include international conglomerates, indicative of the group’s cross-border expertise and strength in advising clients with large international portfolios which require advice on large-scale strategic collaboration. Other key contacts include Matthew Warren; Claire Smith, who assists with bespoke supply and distribution agreements; and Ellen Lambrix and Paul Jordan, who are notably skilled in advising on manufacturing agreements and logistics agreements, respectively, for large retailers.