England - London • TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

Venner Shipley LLP

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Venner Shipley LLP is praised by a client for having ‘a diverse team with depth and breadth of knowledge’ across patent-related mandates, covering electronics and software, which is led by Jan Walaski, mechanical and engineering headed up by Ian Grey, and chemistry and life sciences spearheaded by Siân Gill. The firm continues to handle an increasing number of patent applications, with particular expertise in AI and machine learning products; Richard Kennedy leads the firm’s AI IP offering. It also has notable strength in opposition and appeal proceedings before the EPO, and its client roster is broad ranging, including universities, SMEs, and start-ups, as well as multi-national corporations. In Cambridge, managing partner Pawel Piotrowicz is an expert in computer-implemented simulations, and Allie Elend has ’excellent scientific knowledge’ and supports large pharmaceutical companies. Head of the firm’s Guildford office, Anton Hutter, has significant expertise in patenting antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapy constructs. The team continues to expand, with five new patent attorneys hires since July 2022.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Venner Shipley has a diverse team with depth and breadth of knowledge. The team is academically very talented and can grasp new ideas and concepts very quickly, and more importantly, they can convert the idea into the written form.'

  • ‘Allie Elend is a very bright, intelligent lawyer with excellent scientific knowledge; she grasps new ideas and concepts almost immediately and asks excellent thought-provoking questions in order to best understand the science and technology.'

  • ‘Everyone at Venner is incredible in terms of providing clear and concise communications and work product on time that includes detailed and accurate analysis.’

  • ‘The team is well-equipped to help make the right strategic decisions.'
  • ‘Venner has great experience in patent prosecution and EPO opposition and appeal proceedings.’
  • ‘Catrin Petty and Anton Hutter have an excellent understanding of chemistry. It helps in making a robust application for novel small molecules. and in granting and defending patents.’
  • ‘Paul Derry is very committed, and he takes extra steps in application drafting to solve issues with inventors.’
  • 'Tim Russell has broad expertise in all aspects of patent prosecution. He has extensive expertise in opposition and appeal proceedings before the EPO, combined with technical and legal knowledge. He provides high-quality services.’

Key clients

  • Roche
  • Sanofi
  • BAT
  • Nicoventures
  • Zimmer Biomet
  • AstraZeneca
  • Cambridge Display Technology
  • Cerevance
  • Neuro-bio
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Samsung Group
  • Takeda Pharmaceutical
  • Airbus Defence and Space
  • Epizyme
  • FiberLean Technologies

Work highlights

  • Advised British American Tobacco and related companies since 2007 on their patent portfolios.
  • Advised Sanofi on its European patent prosecution, opposition, freedom to operate, and filing registered designs.
  • Advised Roche on its patent portfolio acquired from Inflazome.

Lawyers

Leading Individuals

Allie Elend

Allie Elend

Venner Shipley LLP

Allie is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney and heads up the Chemical and Life Sciences team in our Cambridge office. Allie specialises in chemical subject matter, in particular pharmaceuticals, small molecule medicinal chemistry, active pharmaceutical ingredients, synthetic chemistry including chiral synthetic chemistry, formulation chemistry, polymorphic forms, first and further medical uses, peptides and proteins, and also cleantech, drug delivery, antisense technology, transdermal patches, medical devices and agrochemicals.  She also has experience in polymer chemistry, films and fibres, materials, petrochemicals, and process chemistry. Allie has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting British, European and international patent applications, as well as in patent prosecution in other countries using local attorneys. She manages large international patent portfolios and works with her clients to develop a cohesive IP strategy. Allie enjoys representing her clients at opposition and appeal hearings before the European Patent Office, where she has an enviable track record of success. She also has considerable expertise in infringement and validity issues and regularly clears her clients’ products prior to launch. Allie has a particular interest in the pharmaceutical industry.  Her clients include international and medium-sized pharmaceutical and chemical companies, start-ups, academic institutions and universities, as well as private individuals.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jan Walaski, Ian Grey, Sian Gill

Other key lawyers

Allie Elend, Catrin Petty, Anton Hutter, Paul Derry, Richard Kennedy, Tim Russell, Alex Brown, Simon Taor, Pawel Piotrowicz, Emma Longland, Louis Trichard, Kirsty Simpson