Ireland

Firm overview

FRKelly, as the largest Intellectual Property firm in Ireland, specialises in filing, prosecution and opposition work before the EPO and the EUIPO. With over 90 years of experience, FRKelly is widely acknowledged as one of the top pre-eminent Intellectual Property law firms in Ireland and Europe.

FRKelly has offices in Ireland (Dublin and Cork) and the United Kingdom, employing 70 people, of which 30 are Intellectual Property practitioners.

The firm combines a reputable heritage with a pioneering vision and understands the value of innovation to an economy, representing many start-ups, entrepreneurs and research institutions, including Irish, UK and US universities.

While popular among domestic entities, the firm’s long-standing legacy has garnered an established international network, with more than half of its clients availing of its expertise from abroad, particularly prestigious US multinationals.

FRKelly has a strong affinity with a broad spectrum of sectors from life sciences, cleantech and medical devices to software, ICT and engineering.

Our Life Sciences Patents practice consists of 8 attorneys, including 6 Ph. D. qualified, and is led by Dr. Maura O’Connell, current Managing Partner. With over 20 years of experience, Maura specialises in oral hearings, oppositions and appeals, before the European Patent Office.

The ICT and Engineering Patents practice comprises 11 qualified patent attorneys, of which 2 are chartered engineers and 2 chartered physicists and is lead by David Brophy who also specializes in Design Law.

FRKelly have an extensive Trade Mark practice. Our Trade Mark Attorneys possess considerable  experience and an in-depth knowledge and understanding on all aspects of trade mark protection, with a particular focus on areas such as Food & Drinks, Entertainment, Marketing, Exports, and FCMG.

Shane Smith and Niamh Hall, two of our Trade Mark partners have also co-authored the book “Intellectual Property Law in Ireland (Dec 2016, 4th Edition)” which was nominated as law book of the year 2017.

We combine established expertise with a personalised approach to provide you with practical and effective legal advice, tailored to the needs of your business.

Firm overview

Pinsent Masons' international IP team comprises over 80 IP specialists globally, delivering award-winning, multi-disciplinary expertise through a range of technical backgrounds (some to PhD) and experience drawn from industry.  

At the heart of our practice are long term relationships with many world leading businesses across a range of industry sectors, including: life sciences, technology, energy, financial services, sport, retail and leisure. With a shared passion for innovation, and belief that diversity of thought results in better solutions for business, together we harness IP law to drive positive change, access new markets and disrupt the status quo. 

Our IP advisory team advises on rights and commercialisation strategies, cutting edge collaborations and IP rich cross-border transactions that redefine the commercial landscape. More than just applying lawyers to solve legal problems, we deploy a range of professional disciplines, enabled by process and technology and informed by data. Not only does this empower us to develop solutions and ensure successful outcomes for our clients, it enables us to do so more efficiently and cost effectively.

Our peerless IP disputes team deploys litigation as a strategic tool to help businesses achieve their business goals, rather than simply navigating risk.  Working as a seamless extension of in-house legal and management teams, we're focussed on positive outcomes, whether that is achieving market access for a new product or service, or retaining competitive advantage against those ready to challenge them. 

We have a reputation for taking on the most difficult cases and winning them, often making new law in the process. We regularly act in the highest profile IP litigations before the EPO and EUIPO as well as the national courts and registries. Our success rate is second to none.

Recent IP awards include:

• Xarelto litigations was named an ‘Impact Case of the Year’ at LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2024
• Impact Case of the Year - Sandoz and Teva vs Britsol-Myers Squibb (Managing IP Awards 2024)
• EMEA Patent Litigation Firm of the Year: Pharmaceuticals (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
• UK Firm of the Year (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
• Impact Case of the Year – Fingolimod (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
• Impact Case of the Year – Flynn Pharma (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
• Impact Case of the Year – Neurim Pharmaceuticals, MIP Awards 2023
• Winner UK (England & Wales) Contentious Patent Law Firm of the Year (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Winner Impact Case of the Year - Actavis v ICOS (tadalafil) (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Shortlisted European Contentious Patents Firm of the Year (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Shortlisted UK Practitioner of the Year - Charlotte Weekes (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Shortlisted UK (Scotland) IP Transactions (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Shortlisted UK (Scotland) Contentious Patents (Managing IP Awards 2020)
• Shortlisted TMT Team of the Year (Legal Business Awards 2020)
• Winner Legal Strategy of the Year (Global Generics & Biosimilars Awards 2019)
• Winner Impact Case of the Year Award (Managing IP Awards 2019)
• Winner TMT and Life Sciences Team of the Year (British Legal Awards 2019)
• Shortlisted TMT Team of the Year (Legal Business Awards 2019)
• Winner Patent Litigation Firm of the Year (Corporate International Magazine's Award 2019)
• Winner International Global Business Award 2019
• Winner IP or IT team of the Year (Lawyer Awards 2018)
• Winner Client Choice Award for Patent Litigation (Clare Tunstall) 2018
• Winner TMT Team of the Year (British Legal Awards 2017)

Firm overview

At Browne Jacobson LLP, our distinguished team of trademark lawyers helps to protect, enforce and commercialise some of the world's leading brands. We serve a diverse clientele, from owners of extensive international portfolios across the UK, Europe, and other jurisdictions to smaller enterprises whose reputation depends on a single brand. Our multi-sector legal advice ensures that clients across various industries receive solutions tailored to their specific needs. We are committed to building long-lasting relationships based on trust, delivering clear commercial guidance, and providing exceptional client service.

Co-founded by Ciaran Markey, Jeanne Kelly and Declan Cushley our Ireland practice provides a full-service IP offering across both contentious and non-contentious matters. With our team recognised by Chambers as 'a go-to firm for heavyweight IP matters' and acknowledged by leading legal directories including Chambers and Partners, World Trademark Review, Managing Intellectual Property, IAM Patent 1000 and Legal 500, our IP lawyers across Ireland and the UK serve as trusted advisers on the complex IP challenges facing businesses today.

Browne Jacobson LLP has been at the forefront of shaping IP law in the UK and Europe, engaging in several leading cases, including successfully assisting Match and Tinder to win at trial in their trade mark infringement proceedings against Muzmatch, and advising Yoplait in high-profile passing-off litigation concerning product packaging. As co-founders of Pangea Net, an international network of independent law firms, active across 25 countries - our reach extends globally. Our international network enables us to seamlessly coordinate IP protection and enforcement across key commercial hubs, from Dublin to New York, London to Asia-Pacific, ensuring our clients receive consistent, high-quality advice wherever their business takes them. Over the past year, we have managed legal advice from approximately 60 jurisdictions, ensuring comprehensive support for our clients. Recognised for its quality, Browne Jacobson is committed to the highest legal practice management standards with both the Law Society Lexcel and ISO27001:2013 accreditations to its name.

Ranked 1st in 25 specialist law areas by Legal 500, our services cover all intellectual property rights, including patents, confidential information, designs, trademarks, and copyright. Known for our success in high-stakes disputes, major litigation, and negotiating significant R&D and complex licensing agreements, we are trusted to protect leading global brands.

Firm overview

Murgitroyd is a rapidly growing firm with innovation at its heart.

For nearly 50 years we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s leading strategic IP firms. Trusted by global innovators and businesses to realise and protect the true value of their intellectual assets. History we may have, but we instead face forward. Our success lies in the positive relationships we build and our unrivalled breadth of expertise – from an unmatched technical knowledge to a proven commercial awareness.

We’re more than legal experts – we’re a strategic IP solutions firm with an unrivalled breadth of expertise. Our UK and European patent, trade mark and design attorneys bring together solid legal foundations, unmatched technical knowledge, and a commercial awareness that can drive growth and accelerate success.

We build relationships – globally. Our job is to protect and unlock the full potential of your innovations and ideas – not just in your country, but around the world. Our global team of specialists have an unrivalled knowledge in local laws and practices that provide a benchmark for advice and expertise wherever it’s needed to help you grow your business in markets you never thought possible, in ways you never imagined.

Our global office network spans Europe, North America and Asia. With over 440 employees (including over 120 attorneys) worldwide, our people have leading IP expertise across many industries including automotive, engineering & energy; consumer brands & services; chemistry & materials; life sciences & healthcare; and technology, media & telecoms.