Sarah Neil
AA Thornton
AA Thornton
Client SatisfactionAA 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.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team are very responsive to us. They provide a flexible service that suits our needs as a business. They take complex issues and simplify the technical aspects to make them accessible and understandable to us. From this we can make informed business decisions.’
‘Sarah Neil appreciates our skill set and gives information in both summarised and detailed form that is suitable for us to digest.’
‘Excellent team with exceptional attention to detail with a commercial, pragmatic approach.’
‘The team works together as a whole and are therefore able to respond in a timely manner, even when senior team members are unavailable. Sarah Neil has been exceptional in dealing with a vast array of trade mark matters; she is knowledgeable, prompt and efficient.’
‘AA Thornton provide solid, practical and commercially minded advice on trade mark and intellectual property matters. As specialists in the area, I am always impressed with their knowledge and experience of all aspects of trade mark practice and have found them to be highly responsive.’
‘I work closely with partner Sarah Darby, who advises on all our trade mark applications globally. She provides excellent, commercial advice in a manner that makes it easy for us, as non-specialists, to understand and act on. I have particularly valued her advice on the optimal strategy for new trade mark applications.'
‘They are always available and respond very quickly to communications. They keep on top of new developments in the sphere of intellectual property and offer varied products to protect our intellectual property.’
‘Ian Gill is keen and proactive in advice on protecting our intellectual property and always available to offer alternative advice and suggestions when faced with unforeseen problems. He has been our representative for many years and cannot recommend him enough. Pleasant and professional in every way.’
Key clients
- ZPG
- Fytexia SAS
- Virgin Enterprises Ltd
- Merck
- Jimmy Choo
- Primark Limited
- R. Twining and Company Limited
- AB World Foods Limited
- Admiral Group
- Calor Gas
- Jordans, Dorset, Ryvita Company Limited
- Estee Lauder
- Reiss
- Michael Kors
- Checkout Technology Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Circular Textiles Foundation on its portfolio and assisted with the registration of a certification mark.
- Assisted GPD Holdings, LLC with challenges created by a trade mark squatter in the UK and EU.
- Assisted Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. with multiple UK trade mark opposition.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Ian Gill
AA ThorntonPractice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Sarah Darby