Pinsent Masons is recommended for contentious and non-contentious IP work in the UK. It is best known in the market for its IP work, especially patent and SPC litigation, in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector.
Amsterdam-based patent litigator Judith Krens and Birmingham-based soft IP lawyer Tom Nener lead the firm's global IP practice, while Charlotte Weekes is in charge of the life sciences practice. In patent disputes in England, Nener and Weekes are supported by partners Christopher Sharp, Gareth Morgan, and Catherine Drew. Tracey Roberts is among the practitioners to watch in the patent practice.
Brands protection specialist Florian Traub is in charge of the firm's trade mark practice. For IP-related transactions, it has lawyers such as Samantha Livesey, IP transactions practice head Allistair Booth and non-contentious practice head Cerys Wyn Davies. Emily Swithenbank is a soft IP lawyer to watch.
2023
"Excellent quality."
"The team is humble, patient and diligent."
"The team is well-rounded, expert, communicative and generally really nice to work with."
"They listen closely and have become an extension of my in-house team. They meet all challenges quickly and effectively."
"The PM team is a joy to work with. They put the interests of their clients above all else, working tirelessly on their behalf. They represent a completely safe pair of hands on any case, providing reassurance to their clients that no stone will be left unturned to achieve the desired result. Apart from their peerless knowledge of their subject-matter, they are a very pleasant group of people. Partners and associates are very well placed to serve their clients' needs, having multiple specialisms across IP and related areas, in particular competition (antitrust) law and private international law."
2022 client testimonials
"Excellent knowledge and easy to work with."
"Easy to work with, proactive and creative."
"They have technology-focused solutions."
"They are knowledgeable, provide clear commercially useful advice and are a pleasure to work with."
"The firm excels in all areas where we need guidance. They have a leading IP practice, with a particularly strong life sciences team, but they also have a very strong competition team. The firm is well placed to understand all of the nuances of our case."
"They are very approachable, strategically excellent and outcome oriented. They will not suggest action for the sake of action and will tell you to keep your powder dry when it will work out better in the long term. I have never felt that a meeting was wasted and never felt that the firm was anything less than excellent value for money."
The firm has experienced departures in its IP and life sciences departments in recent years. Former head of IP and life sciences Clare Tunstall and life sciences lawyer Mario Subramaniam left in 2024. Senior associates Kit Carter and Tamsin Cornwell left in 2023 and 2024, respectively, for in-house roles in Sandoz. Nicole Jadeja and David Lancaster also left in 2023, but the firm strengthened in the same year by bringing in European life sciences patent attorney Kristina Cornish and patent litigator James Marshall as partners in its London office.