Innovation drives competitive advantage, making patent disputes, protection and strategy essential for businesses across industries.
The range and depth of our patents practice in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, UK and the US is renowned. Our global team works seamlessly with clients and other firms across time zones and jurisdictions to provide unparalleled advice and assistance in litigation, transactions, risk management and strategic matters, both local and international in scope.
We provide comprehensive patent litigation, protection and strategic advisory services, with legal insight and technical acumen leaving us best positioned to help clients safeguard and defend their most valuable assets and products, mitigate risks, and maximise commercial opportunities in an evolving landscape.
Whether it’s a bet-the-company patent litigation, a strategic market-driven case or defense in a competitor lawsuit, our team is among the go-to firms for companies involved in patent disputes. Our patent litigation team has a loyal client base of companies both large and small who hire us because we understand their businesses, innovations, challenges and goals, and because we work closely with them to achieve winning outcomes.
Our record for acting before the courts in patent litigation – often on cases that are novel and key for our clients’ industries – is market-leading. Across the pharmaceuticals and healthcare, computer hardware and software, semiconductors, telecoms, network security, gaming and consumer products sectors, our team brings extensive courtroom experience before the courts and tribunals and deep technical roster with a deep-bench of technical advisors. With lead trial counsel involvement from the outset of each matter, we are a trusted partner for contentious and non-contentious matters regarding products of the highest commercial value and are instructed by our clients on their most business-critical assets and the world's top-selling products.
We are particularly well known for our significant expertise at trials and in running complex, multi-jurisdictional IP disputes, where key IP rights are litigated in parallel proceedings in separate countries. On cross-border actions, we are frequently asked to take on the strategic coordination role for our clients where we manage and supervise litigation through our own local teams and other law firms worldwide. This gives the dual benefits of having a local counsel with a deep understanding of the local market and its issues and the capabilities of a top-tier global law firm.
Patent validity and post-grant proceedings
We have a strong record in US inter partes reviews, post-grant proceedings, and patent validity challenges and European validity proceedings, ensuring our clients' intellectual property remains protected and enforceable.
Standards, SEPs and FRAND disputes
Standards play an important role in the modern world, from 3G, 4G and 5G standards in the telecoms industry to newly emerging standards in the automotive sector and Internet of Things (IoT). As connectivity and interoperability of devices increase, standard-essential patents (SEPs) and fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing have become critical considerations for companies in industries such as telecoms, automotive, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Our team combines deep knowledge in high-tech patent licensing and litigation with deep sector knowledge to help clients navigate the complex SEP landscape. We advise on multi-jurisdictional licensing negotiations for both licensors and licensees, ensuring our clients achieve the best possible outcomes while maintaining their ability to operate globally. Should negotiations escalate to litigation, we offer a leading team of patent litigation specialists with substantial experience in coordinating disputes across multiple jurisdictions.
Patent prosecution
Utilising a combination of industry knowledge, technical skill and commercial sophistication, our IP lawyers in the US and China help clients – ranging from inventors and emerging businesses to global corporations across industries – to register and protect their patents worldwide. We have a dedicated team of scientific advisors, with backgrounds in chemistry, biology, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and more, which enhances our ability to readily understand our clients' innovations and technologies.
We assist our clients at every stage, from determining the patentability of an innovation and conducting a patent search through carefully crafting patent applications to ensure the broadest coverage and greatest protection. We regularly prepare and prosecute patents, facilitate worldwide filings, and strategise with clients on ways to build their IP asset portfolios and preserve their trade secrets.