Welcome to the 2021 edition of IP STARS.
After months of research, Managing IP can now confirm the IP Stars list for 2021.
The IP Stars are senior practitioners who have been recommended or identified as leaders in their firm and/or jurisdiction. To see this year’s IP Stars list, go to a jurisdiction (for example, see below) or a firm’s page and click on the ‘Practitioners’ tab.
Please note that a few jurisdictions do not have an IP Stars list. To learn more about our practitioner rankings, please read the information below or see our methodology page. Some questions about our research can be found here. If you have any feedback or questions, please get in touch via email here.
IP STARS is not a directory of all firms and individuals offering IP services. Participation in our research does not guarantee ranking.
Congratulations to all the practitioners recognised this year.
More practitioner rankings to come
We have not yet confirmed and published this year’s Top 250 Women in IP, Corporate IP Stars and Rising Stars, and therefore the 2020 rankings will remain on this website. Below is the updated results publication timeline for 2021, which is subject to change.
IP STARS 2021 rankings and content
March: Trade mark practice rankings for firms here
April: Intellectual property practice rankings for firms (only for certain jurisdictions) here
May: IP Stars list 2021 here
June: Patent practice rankings for firms (including US states such as California)
June: Managing IP’s Top 250 Women in IP 2021
July: IP transactions practice rankings for firms
August: Firm reviews updated/published and copyright practice rankings for firms (including US states such as California)
September: Managing IP's Rising Stars list and Corporate IP Stars list 2021
Managing IP Awards 2021
March 30: EMEA Awards event
April 7: Americas Awards event
June 17: Asia-Pacific Awards event/winners announcement (register/watch the event here)
Read about the shortlists and winners here.
IP STARS rankings and MIP Awards 2022
We will start the research for the 2022 edition of the IP STARS rankings and Managing IP Awards in September 2021. We will open our firm submissions portal on September 1 2021. Read about our research and the documents to complete here.
About IP STARS
Managing IP published its first legal directory in 1994 and rebranded it in 2013 as IP STARS. The publication quickly established itself as the leading specialist guide to IP law firms and practitioners worldwide. The research for IP STARS is conducted over a six-month period, starting from September each year. IP STARS covers a variety of IP practice areas and more than 70 jurisdictions, making it the most comprehensive and widely respected guide in the IP profession.
Research methodology
Each year, we obtain information from thousands of practitioners/firms and their clients through interviews, emails and online surveys. Our research analysts review all the information and conduct their own independent research, including an analysis of publicly available information (such as court or IP office data) and previous research data, before producing the rankings. Where appropriate, they can rely on independent research findings alone to rank practitioners and/or firms.
The individuals we normally select as IP Stars are senior practitioners who serve as partners or equivalent in their firms. We do not select non-partners or junior practitioners to be ranked as IP Stars, except in very special circumstances. After selecting the IP Stars, we assign at least one practice area rating, e.g. patent star, to reflect what we reasonably believe to be their main area(s) of expertise.
The 2021 IP Stars list is based on the information available at the time the core research was completed (February 2021). Except for firm name changes, any subsequent developments or information that could influence this year’s IP Stars list will be considered during the research for the 2022 edition. Our research analysts regularly monitor firms and their practitioners throughout the year and therefore Managing IP reserves the right to change any ranking and/or remove a firm or individual from our website at any time.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ranking tag does not suggest or indicate that the expertise of the practitioner is limited to the practice area in question. Because many IP Stars will have experience in different areas of IP law and practice, we offer them the opportunity (for a fee) to publish detailed information about their practice. Managing IP does not recommend or endorse any practitioner or firm for IP work. Please read the terms of use concerning our content here.
The IP STARS rankings are not influenced by any commercial relationship, including advertising, with Managing IP or IP STARS. There is no fee to pay to participate in our research. No firm or practitioner can pay to be ranked. The rankings are subject to change each year.