The Legal 500 2025

Potter Clarkson has once again been highly recognised in the 2025 Legal 500 rankings, a leading guide for clients seeking top law firms, attorneys, and solicitors.

This year, we are proud to have achieved the following in various practice areas:

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (ENGLAND):

  • Firm: Tier 1
  • Leading Partners: Nick McDonald, Richard Roberts
  • Next Generation Partners: Oliver Laing
  • Leading Associates: Georgia Carr

The guide states: With in-depth IP litigation expertise, Potter Clarkson LLP draws upon support from its international network, including offices across Copenhagen, London, and Stockholm. The Nottingham-based practice enjoys a strong reputation in the life science sector, and is also frequently engaged in IP agreements, for which Oliver Laing is a key contact. Richard Roberts is principally focused on IP litigation, and he has experience before both the UK and European Union Intellectual Property Offices. Nick McDonald’s caseload encompasses copyright, designs, pharmaceutical patent litigation, and trademarks, while David Holt is active in the biotechnology sector. Georgia Carr is a strong choice for electronics and fashion entities.

Testimonials:

  • "The Potter Clarkson team are unique because of their ability to service client's needs across a multitude of disciplines and sectors, and do so to a very high standard."
  • "The response time is far better than that of any other firm I have worked with in the UK. But even more than that I like that they come up with out-of-the-box responses, you can be certain that they have given the problems deep thoughts."

PATMA: TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS (ENGLAND):

  • Firm: Tier 1
  • Leading Associates: Harrison Lee

The guide states: Potter Clarkson LLP boasts eight offices across London, Nottingham, Glasgow, Sweden, and Denmark, which enables the firm to provide clients with a seamless cross-border offering regarding their trade mark mandates. Registration, enforcement, brand clearance, and due diligence are all within the team’s strong capabilities, as well as representing clients in litigation. Sectors of activity for the group include life sciences, electronics, engineering, and energy, among others. Former practice head Sanjay Kapur has moved into a consultancy role, and the team is now led by clearance expert Emmy Hunt. Both Hunt and Cameron Malone-Brown, who was promoted to partner at the beginning of 2024, are praised as ‘superb’. Sarah Talland is another notable team member, with expertise in global filing programmes and contentious matters.

Testimonials:

  • "They have a highly professional legal team that prioritises clients and spares no effort to prevent any damage to their intellectual property rights."
  • "Potter Clarkson benefit from a highly experienced team that takes time to fully understand our business, our objectives and our risk appetite. Over time this allows the firm to refine strategies and ways forward that most closely fit our profile, making all our dealings fast and highly efficient."

PATMA: PATENT ATTORNEYS (ENGLAND):

  • Firm: Tier 2
  • Leading Partners: Fiona Law

The guide states: Potter Clarkson LLP is praised as a ‘highly professional patent law firm with a group of highly skilled and passionate patent attorneys’ located across the UK, Sweden, and Denmark, enabling the firm to provide patent-related advice domestically and across Europe. Protection, enforcement, management of patent portfolios, including EPO oppositions and appeals, and freedom to operate mandates are all part of the group’s strong offering. Its client base consists of large corporations, SMEs, investors, innovative start-ups, and entrepreneurs across the life sciences, electronics and computing, engineering, chemistry, food, agritech, energy, and FMCG sectors. Managing partner Stephen Smith is a notable member of the team. Nottingham-based Caroline Marshall heads up the technology, engineering and designs practice, within which sits Peter Finnie. At the helm of the chemistry group is Tony Proctor, while Jane Wainwright leads the biotechnology department.

Testimonials:

  • "They have very good understanding of complicated technologies. We have one main contact but are always confident that there is a team behind him and there is always somebody who can step in if the main contact is unavailable."
  • "Mark Didmon is competent and reliable, and always has our company's interests in mind."

PATENTS (CONTENTIOUS AND NON-CONTENTIOUS) (ENGLAND):

  • Firm: Tier 5

The guide states: With recent experience in the High Court and the Unified Patents Court, the ‘incredibly attentive’ Potter Clarkson LLP is capable of handling multi-jurisdictional mandates with technical elements for start-ups through to global scale companies. The practice is jointly led by Nick McDonald, who covers all IP rights, Richard Roberts, who is well-positioned to advise clients operating within the chemical, automotive, and luxury retail sectors, and Mark Kramer, who has a wealth of experience on both the contentious and non-contentious side.

Testimonials:

  • "They have provided excellent services by means of their professionalism and expertise."
  • "The team were incredibly attentive, hardworking and straight talking. I always believed they acted in my best interests."