Intellectual Property

JudgmentDay
DesignWrites
CIPA Reports
The Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court
Pattern

Overview

Over the last century we've been lucky enough to have played a part in protecting some of the world's most ground-breaking inventions and forward thinking brands.

Hailed as ‘IP Law Firm of the Decade’ by Managing IP in 2015, named the leading law firm in the world for IP by Who's Who Legal in 2016 and winner of 17 IP specific awards in 2017, Bird & Bird consistently remains at the forefront of intellectual property, particularly commended for their strength in IP strategy and litigation. It's this first class reputation that allows us to attract world leading IP advisors and litigators and by working with us you will be able to draw upon their formidable experience in this field.

We not only have the range and depth of expertise, but with more than 300 specialist IP lawyers internationally, we have numbers in force. We offer unmatched contentious and non-contentious capabilities and experience in relation to all IP rights, taking a cutting edge approach to provide tailor-made IP strategies that drive competitive advantage. It’s this reputation that has seen us involved in a number of ground-breaking decisions for our clients, across the full spectrum of our IP offering

While our clients include some of the world’s leading brand names, we are also committed to helping small and medium businesses protect their valuable intellectual property.

Our key areas of expertise include:

Heads of Group: Christian Harmsen in Düsseldorf and Morag Macdonald in London.

See also:

Accolades

  • One client says: "We are confident that our case is in the best hands," especially when "international expertise is required." Another client praises the team's approach as "excellent, very thorough and precise," and describes them as a "perfect match for complex, international cases with many moving parts."

    Chambers Europe-wide 2018

  • One source enthuses over the "consistency and quality that runs through all the levels of seniority" and that the team is "strategic thinking and global thinking" with a "very good footprint across the world."

    Chambers Global 2018

  • IP Law Firm of the Year

    ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2017

  • "Working in close alignment with teammates in Hong Kong, Bird & Bird’s China division is an invaluable asset for multinationals with a regional stake"

  • IP Specialist Firm of the Year

    Australasian Law Awards 2017

  • "I rate them highly - there is a consistency of quality across the IP team as well as an understanding of the wider commercial context."

    Chambers UK 2017

  • International IP Law Firm of the Year

    China Law & Practice Awards 2017

  • Trophée d'or du meilleur cabinet français en droit des Marques (Gold Award: Best Law Firm in Trademarks)

    Décideurs Magazine, Leaders League 2017

  • Despite the firm’s long and fabled history, clients admire its perpetually fresh, “out-of-the-box thinking”

    WTR 1000, 2017

  • "Bird & Bird is a global IP powerhouse with a gilt-edged reputation"

    WTR 1000, 2017

  • "Remains an unquestioned leader at the very pinnacle of IP law"

    Chambers UK 2016

  • “Flawless service” is the name of the game for Bird & Bird’s China operation, "The international colossus spares no effort for clients"

    IAM Patent 1000 2016

  • Bird & Bird is ‘the premier patent litigation firm; it has the deepest bench of skilled patent litigators of all the European firms’ and it supplements this patent expertise with ‘an excellent’ trade mark practice'.

    Legal 500 UK 2016

  • "Bird & Bird's pedigree in IP law is undisputed"

    Who's Who Legal 2016

  • "Heavily involved in the preparations for the Unified Patent Court, no firm is better placed for the new regime soon to be ushered in to Europe"

    IAM patent 2015

  • "Top tier firm Bird & Bird is 'Universally respected practice advising on high-profile contentious and transactional patent, copyright and trade mark matters for blue-chip clients across the continent'"

    Chambers Europe-wide 2015

  • "The firm have a great ability to work as a team and always have the clients' interests at heart."

    Chambers Europe-wide 2015

  • "The practice is well regarded and has developed a reputation for high-end work."

    Managing IP - IP Stars 2015

  • "The thing I like about them in general is their very good understanding of our business, what our commercial needs are and of the commercial challenges we face,” says a client. Peers say the team “stands out on its own in the market”.

    Managing IP - IP Stars 2015

  • "Very efficient and knowledgeable, and good at translating difficult situations into something workable."

    Chambers Global 2015

Contacts

Christian Harmsen

Christian Harmsen

Partner
Germany

Call me on: +49 (0)211 2005 6000
vCard Location
Macdonald-Morag

Morag Macdonald

Partner
UK

Call me on: +44 (0)20 7415 6000
vCard Location

View further contacts

Related materials and downloads

News & Events

  1. 0708-2018

    Copyright: first ownership, assignment and infringement of designs

    The IP Enterprise Court (IPEC) has determined first ownership and assignment of copyright, and considered infringement of copyright in greetings cards designs.

  2. 0708-2018

    Patents: "external eyes only" disclosure in confidentiality club agreements

    The High Court has refused to grant an "external eyes only" order allowing one party to classify categories of disclosure as highly confidential and not be disclosed to anyone internal to the other party.

  3. 0708-2018

    Patents: numerical ranges

    The Court of Appeal has held that a patent for a composition of glass fibres with numerical ranges was valid and infringed.

  1. 1906-2018

    Bird & Bird advises Arm on the acquisition of IoT company Stream Technologies

    International law firm Bird & Bird has advised Arm on the acquisition of IoT company Stream Technologies.

  2. 0905-2018

    Six Bird & Bird lawyers listed in the prestigious 'Top 250 Women in IP'

    Bird & Bird is delighted that six of our international IP partners have been recognised as being in the 'Top 250 Women in IP' by specialist IP publication, Managing IP.

  3. 0905-2018

    Bird & Bird's international Patent and Sports teams win global recognition at the Who's Who Legal Awards 2018

    Last night Bird & Bird was awarded 'Patent Firm of the Year' and 'Sports Firm of the Year' at the 5th annual Who's Who Legal Awards in London

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