Law firm Mills & Reeve has appointed Claire O’Brien as its new national head of intellectual property litigation.
Ms O’Brien, formerly director of the IP team at Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, specialises in contentious intellectual property matters. She has acted for major corporates in the High Court and Court of Appeal in disputes involving designs, patents, copyright, trademarks, passing off and breach of confidence.
Ms O’Brien also has experience of acting for SMEs in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court – a cost-effective forum for the resolution of smaller IP disputes.
Based in Mills & Reeve’s Birmingham office, she has advised a number of companies in connection with intellectual property issues in Hong Kong and China where she was a registered foreign lawyer. Ms O’Brien is a regular speaker on IP issues and China’s IP enforcement regime.
Steve Allen, head of the Birmingham office, said: “Intellectual property rights are core assets for many of Mills & Reeve’s clients, particularly in the technology, food and beverage, education, manufacturing and automotive sectors.
“We are delighted that Claire has joined our outstanding team. Her arrival will extend the breadth and depth of service we are able to offer to our clients.”
Alasdair Poore, head of intellectual property, said: “We are delighted that Claire is joining us. She brings great experience and with her we will have a dedicated IP litigator who will assist our rapidly growing IP enforcement and litigation work.
“Claire’s work in the High Court and increasingly popular Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, as well as her enthusiasm and commitment to helping clients resolve IP disputes cost effectively, will be an ideal complement to our existing work in our thriving national technology practice.”
