Moss to depart UK IPO
Tim Moss, chief executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office, will be leaving his role in September, the agency has confirmed.
In a statement released on Wednesday, June 1, the office said that Moss would assume a new position as chief operating officer and director general at the Welsh government on September 1.
The office confirmed that the recruitment process for a permanent successor to Moss would begin immediately and plans would be put in place for a deputy leadership of the IPO in the interim.
Commenting on the announcement, Moss said: “I have had an amazing time in office at the IPO, leading a brilliant team of people. Deciding to leave and take on this new challenge has been incredibly difficult for me, and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together.”
He added that the UK now had one of the best IP systems in the world, and that he was grateful to partners of the agency for their support. “Your input has been invaluable as we strive to deliver world-class IP services and continue our work to build a world-leading IP environment, unleashing innovation’s potential. It has been my privilege to have worked closely with so many of you,” he said.
“We will be maintaining business as usual as we continue our collaborative drive towards a truly world-class IP system for the UK.”
Tim Moss
“Please rest assured that supported by the talented team of dedicated people we have here at IPO, we will be maintaining business as usual as we continue our collaborative drive towards a truly world-class IP system for the UK.”
Harry Rich, chair of the IPO’s steering board, and Jo Shanmugalingam, director general for science, innovation and growth at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, both offered their best wishes.
“We congratulate Tim on his appointment, which is sad news for the IPO but a fantastic opportunity for him. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Tim for his five years of inspiring leadership and dedicated service at the IPO and wish him every success in his new role.”
They continued: “We will provide further updates on this in the coming weeks, and further announcements about the deputy CEO position after the interviews in early July. The IPO has a very strong team at all levels; we are delivering for our customers, stakeholders and the wider economy and together, we will continue to build on this.”
Eversheds hires Ashurst’s head of IP
Global law firm Eversheds Sutherland has hired David Wilkinson, the former head of IP at Ashurst, as a partner.
Wilkinson has more than 20 years of experience advising on patent, trademark, copyright, designs and confidential information proceedings in an array of industries including financial services, FinTech, consumer goods, technology and media.
He also works on non-contentious IP issues including the assignment and licensing of IP rights and corporate transactions.
Simon Crossley, co-head of global commercial, Eversheds Sutherland, said: “David’s arrival brings with it many significant strategic benefits to our IP capability and, in turn, our clients.
“His impressive levels of industry experience and legal technical excellence add notable bench-strength and depth to our existing offering, enabling us as a global team to fully realise our strategy to focus on providing an enhanced level of client service and knowledge on which our clients, and our corporate colleagues, can draw. We’re thrilled to welcome him on board.”
“David’s arrival brings with it many significant strategic benefits to our IP capability and, in turn, our clients.”
Simon Crossley
Prior to joining Ashurst, Wilkinson also led Clyde & Co’s IP team and has served as a partner at Bristows London.
Wilkinson said: “I couldn’t be more delighted to be joining Eversheds Sutherland. The IP team is clearly ambitious and is keen to build on its capability to meet the needs of its increasing client base.
“I’m thoroughly looking forward to adding my different skills and experience to the existing offering, helping the group to drive that ambition forward and working closely with my new colleagues across the firm to build a market-leading practice.”
This announcement is part of Evershed’s recent expansion efforts. Earlier this month, the firm integrated its Evershed Europe Belgium practice into its main vertical, bringing in six partners and 19 lawyers.
Shortly after, the firm hired Roger Barron as a senior mergers and acquisitions adviser.
Cleary adds two partners to Bay Area office
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has added IP partners Maureen Linch and Marcela Robledo to its newly-opened San Francisco office.
The two new hires come shortly after the firm opened the doors to a new Bay Area office with a team of antitrust, litigation and M&A partners in November.
Linch is rejoining the firm following an 11-year stint as partner at Morrison & Foerster. Prior to this, she was an associate at Cleary from 2008 to 2011.
Her practice focuses on the tax aspects of M&A and other transactional matters, as well as structuring and planning, for companies ranging from start-ups to large multinational corporations.
Linch said: “My time as an associate at Cleary was an important building block for my career. I’m excited to rejoin my colleagues and friends at the firm, build on that history and to be part of the fantastic California team and the firm’s renowned global tax and corporate practices.”
Robledo joins from Baker McKenzie’s San Francisco division, where she has been a partner for the past two years.
“Marcela’s extensive resume of work on high-profile technology transactions, as well as her experience advising on cybersecurity and data privacy issues, will make her an invaluable asset to our team.”
Daniel Ilan
In her career, she has handled a range of intellectual property, technology and privacy issues for a variety of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, licensing, collaboration agreements and joint ventures.
She is also a member of the American and California Bar Associations, the International Trademark Association and the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Cleary partner Daniel Ilan, who leads the firm’s IP practice, said: “Marcela’s extensive resume of work on high-profile technology transactions, as well as her experience advising on cybersecurity and data privacy issues, will make her an invaluable asset to our team and our clients. We’re delighted to welcome her to the firm.”
Managing partner Michael Gerstenzang added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Maureen back to the firm and to have Marcela join us at an exciting time for Cleary in California. Each brings deep expertise and experience, and together they add to our outstanding Bay Area team and our renowned global corporate practice.
“Last fall, we began assembling an exceptional group with the relocation to the Bay Area of Brian Byrne, George Cary, Jennifer Kennedy Park, Benet O’Reilly and six associates, and the arrival of Heather Nyong’o. Bringing Maureen and Marcela to Cleary furthers our goal of rapidly building on that strong foundation with additional local market-leading talent.”
CMS hires experienced litigator from HSF
CMS has appointed patent litigator Mark Shillito as a partner in the firm’s IP practice. Shillito joined the firm after a 30-year career at Herbert Smith Freehills, where he led the firm’s global IP group for over nine years and the UK/US Disputes practice for six years.
Commenting on Shillito’s arrival, Sarah Wright, head of IP at CMS UK, said: “Mark is a recognised industry heavyweight and distinguished leader across patent and IP disputes. He brings with him an outstanding reputation and renowned cross-sector experience which further strengthens the team’s proficiencies and bolsters our ability to service clients on their most critical mandates.
“Mark’s appointment is a clear indication of the firm’s ambition and commitment to investing in the growth of our IP team, and in particular in patent litigation. We are delighted he has chosen to join us.”
“Mark’s appointment is a clear indication of the firm’s ambition and commitment to investing in the growth of our IP team, and in particular in patent litigation.”
Sarah Wright
With over 30 years’ experience, Shillito is renowned for handling a broad array of IP disputes covering all of the core rights. He also advises on crisis management and IP-driven transactions and has significant experience across the life sciences, TMT, and FMCG sectors, among others.
“I’m delighted to be joining such a talented team and one which is so demonstrably in growth mode. CMS’s full-service offering and ‘cradle to grave’ IP service, delivered sectorally, is a powerful combination which clients find compelling. I’m excited to help further develop CMS’s leading IP practice and the firm’s patent litigation offering, in particular,” said Shillito.
His appointment builds on the firm’s recent hires of patent litigation partner Toby Sears and trademark and copyright specialist Ben Hitchens. It is the fourth major hire for the CMS UK IP group in six months and brings its total partner count to 17. The team is supported by over 130 lawyers, patent attorneys, trademark attorneys and specialist IP administrators and paralegals.
Cozen O’Connor hires veteran litigator
Cozen O’Connor has recruited Vanessa Hew for its IP practice in New York, who joins from law firm Duane Morris.
Hew will join fellow IP litigator Gregory Gulia, who left Duane Morris to join Cozen O’Connor earlier this year.
Throughout her career, Hew has represented clients in IP disputes involving copyright, trademark, trade secret, counterfeiting, patent, unfair competition, and breach of contract claims.
Hew has also represented various Fortune 500 companies in the consumer products, media, personal care, food and beverage, and fashion industries, including Unilever, Walmart, Meta, Ikea, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Bon Ton Stores.
She has worked on numerous high-profile media cases, including a case of first impression for MP3tunes.com over whether the storage of music in the cloud violated copyrights in certain musical compositions or sound recordings.
“Successful IP litigators like Vanessa possess the business acumen needed to size up a multi-district corporate dispute and execute a winning legal strategy.”
Kerry McTigue
“Today’s IP litigation is more demanding than ever—the stakes are higher, and the cases are growing much more complex,” said Michael Schmidt, co-managing partner of the New York office.
“Adding an IP litigator of Vanessa’s calibre benefits both our corporate clients and our IP Practice as a whole. I’m thrilled to welcome Vanessa to the firm and our New York office.”
“Successful IP litigators like Vanessa possess the business acumen needed to size up a multi-district corporate dispute and execute a winning legal strategy that supports the client’s business,” added Kerry McTigue, Cozen O’Connor’s co-chair of the IP department.
“With an impeccable 20-plus year track record of successful litigation behind her, I’m certain Vanessa will zealously advocate for our clients and provide them with the highest level of representation.”
