Mills & Reeve LLP stands out for its expertise in patent litigation, with the team appearing before various UK courts. Non-contentious areas of expertise span IP strategy and portfolio management work, and IP licensing transactions. The team is led by Mark Pearce, who gives strategic advice to clients in the manufacturing, engineering and high growth technology sectors. Alex Newman is a key name for patent litigation mandates, while Jasmine Fearnley is another key contact at associate level.

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Key clients

  • The UK Intellectual Property Office
  • Jaguar Land Rover
  • The British Council
  • Yellow Tail Wines (Casella Family Brands (Europe) Limited)
  • Kohler Mira Limited
  • Domino Printing Sciences plc
  • The Engineering and Design Institute
  • IELTS Partners (The British Council, Cambridge University Press & Assessment and IELTS Australia Pty)
  • MD Orthopaedics, Inc.
  • First Light Lamps Limited
  • Premia Solutions Limited
  • Fox International Group Limited
  • Wasserman Boxing Limited
  • UK Infrastructure Bank Limited
  • Predator Nutrition Online Limited

Work highlights

  • Advised the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade marks in relation to its response to an appeal brought by JCB against a High Court judgment (in its patent infringement claim against Manitou) that JCB’s patent was invalid for lack of inventive step.
  • Represented First Light Lamps Limited in a High Court patent infringement claim issued by Heraeus Noblelight Limited and associated appeal proceedings.
  • Acting on behalf of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority in an EU trade mark matter appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union and obtaining a favourable opinion from the Advocate-General of the CJEU.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mark Pearce

Other key lawyers

Alex Newman, Jasmine Fearnley