Bristows LLP

Liz Cohen

Liz is a highly experienced and well regarded IP specialist with a focus on counselling clients in the Life Sciences sector on national and international patent strategy and litigation. With over 20 years’ experience, Liz is a sought after adviser for Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Medical Devices companies alike and has represented companies in the Life Sciences industry in patent matters in the English Courts all the way up to the Supreme Court. Her extensive experience of coordinating cross-border litigation within Europe and beyond means that her strategic advice is particularly valued making her a trusted commercial adviser to her many clients. Liz is a qualified solicitor advocate, a qualification she has used successfully to obtain an interim injunction on short notice in the High Court. Liz's background in Natural Sciences provides her with an excellent understanding of the technical and commercial issues facing those operating in the life sciences industry. Liz regularly advises clients on the implications of the proposed Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court and played an integral part in representing the alleged infringer in the much publicised Bristows UPC real-time mock action. Liz’s work is regularly published in industry journals and she is also a member of EPLAW, EPLIT, and CIPA, sitting on the CIPA Life Sciences Committee. She is frequently asked to comment and lecture on legal issues affecting the Life Sciences Sector and she is a regular speaker at international conferences on strategic considerations for European and International patent litigation. Liz is a tutor on the Oxford University Diploma in Intellectual Property law and Practice course, teaching patent litigation.

Alex Denoon

Alex is passionate about the Life Sciences sector and advises about regulatory issues all day every day. Alex’s advice is informed by a BSc in Human Genetics and in-house experience including as GC of a biopharmaceutical company and brings 25 years’ experience advising clients in the sector. In addition to a wide array of contentious (judicial review) matters, he enjoys working with clients to devise and implement regulatory strategies throughout the product life cycle of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Alex has advised a number of clients in relation to challenging issues including genomics, cell and gene therapies, 3D printing, healthcare Apps, companion diagnostics, borderline products and combination products. Alex has been involved in the development of a number of regulatory frameworks and guidelines. Legal 500 describes Alex as "a straight-talking, commercially astute technology specialist who is always willing to take a view" and who delivers "out-of-the-box solutions".

Robert Burrows

Robert specialises in patent litigation. He has a PhD in molecular genetics and is particularly active for clients within the life sciences sector. Many of the patent and SPC cases Robert has managed in recent years have required the coordination of parallel proceedings in the UK, EPO and other jurisdictions within Europe and elsewhere in the world. He therefore has in-depth knowledge of European litigation and, alongside appearing for clients in the High Court and Court of Appeal, has attended preliminary injunction and main action proceedings in multiple countries within Europe and overseen inspections of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes in India and Japan. Alongside the assessment of validity and infringement issues, his recent cases have included a damages enquiry, a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union and the availability of Arrow declaratory relief. Robert regularly advises clients on the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court and, in more recent times, on the impact of Brexit. He also advises on other IP rights and is one of a small number of lawyers who have acted in matters concerning plant variety rights. In addition to his litigation experience, Robert assists clients with freedom to operate opinions and due diligence on the intellectual property aspects of commercial transactions. Robert is one of the founding editors of Bristows’ Biotech Review publication.

Claire Smith

Claire specialises in commercial and intellectual property transactions, most notably in the life sciences, technology, media and consumer product sectors.Claire advises on a wide variety of commercial and IP transactions (the large majority of which are cross-border) and on corporate and investment deals where IP is an important asset. Before becoming a lawyer, Claire spent a number of years working for Abbott Laboratories' medical device business. Since being at Bristows, Claire has also spent time seconded to the in-house legal team of a leading global pharmaceutical company. She is also a member of the UK Bio Industry Association’s Intellectual Property Advisory Committee.Examples of her recent experience include advising: pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and digital health companies on joint ventures, R&D collaborations, strategic partnerships and licensing deals (with commercial and academic partners) to bring novel treatments and devices to market leading pharmaceutical companies on acquisitions and disposals of rights in medicinal products and the sale of manufacturing and packaging facilities multinational companies on key COVID-19 projects, including collaborations relating to a multijurisdictional clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine, and setting up and operating a COVID-19 testing facility SMEs and international organisations on development, services, manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements for a wide range of pharmaceutical, industrial and consumer products a fast-growing start-up on the IP and commercial arrangements relating to the creation, protection and exploitation of a new children’s character.