HGF

HGF maintains its position in the UK market as one of the leading firms for IP protection and portfolio management. The firm is led by Chairman Paul Sanderson and CEO Jason Lumber. The firm expanded its European practice in recent years, including launching a new office in Westport, Ireland in 2018 and merging with German IP firm Patronus IP in 2019.

The majority of its trade mark practitioners in the UK are based in England. The firm's trade mark practice is led by David Potter while IP lawyer Martyn Fish is in charge of HGF Law, its sister law practice. Stephanie Loeffler-Reading, Geoffrey Smith and Lee Curtis are among the experienced trade mark attorneys at the firm. Other notable senior lawyers for IP disputes include Rachel Fetches, Marie McMorrow, and Antony Gold. Janet Knowles is the key IP transactional lawyer in the firm.The partners are supported by a team of experienced trade mark practitioners such as Jennifer Good and Rebecca Field (nee Tilbury).

For patent work, the firm has a very large team of patent attorneys covering a range of technical fields, including engineering, chemistry, life sciences and electronics. European patent attorneys Andrew Wells, Kate Taylor, Harry Hutchinson, Matthew Dixon and Chris Moore are patent practice leaders based in England. Other notable senior patent attorneys in England are Hsu Min Chung, Andy Camenisch, Lucy Johnson and Jonathan Atkinson. Other senior patent practitioners to watch are Catherine Coombes and Kieran Killough.

Gary Wilson is the managing partner of the firm's Scottish practice. Jamie Thomson, who heads the Edinburgh office, is also an expert in chemistry. Susan Keston leads the electronics team, while Douglas Drysdale and Craig Thomson are notable life sciences experts. IP consultant Neil McKechnie heads the Scottish trade marks practice. Nathan Hinks, Ellie Purnell, Andrew McGettrick and Christopher Mellor are junior patent practitioners to watch.

Kerry Rees and Nicholas Manley joined the firm as partners in the first quarter of 2020. Rees was previously with WP Thompson. Patent director Nienke Lubben was promoted to partner in May 2020. Patent director Joanna Deas left the firm in January 2020. In July 2020 the firm announced its strategic partnership with Nexus, the innovation hub at the University of Leeds. Engineering specialist Craig Watson, who led the energy practice and the Aberdeen office, left the firm to set up his own practice in August 2022.

The firm welcomed Rigel Moss McGrath as a partner in its trade mark department in February 2020. Trade mark attorney and solicitor Caroline Pigott joined the Edinburgh office in May 2020. Jennifer Good was promoted to director in January 2020. Glasgow-based trade mark attorney Rachel Denholm left the firm in June 2020 while Notable associate Liz Cooper and legal director Tom Nener left in 2019.