Allen & Overy announces the appointments of Mark Heaney and David Stone to the international IP practice. Both join from Simmons & Simmons and build on the news that Marc Döring and Marjan Noor will also be joining the team. This four partner move demonstrates A&O’s commitment to the IP sector by doubling the size of the London partner group.
Mark has a particular focus on patents and patent litigation in the hi-tech sector. He has been involved in high profile cases relating to telecommunications, electronics and software, making him a strong strategic fit for both the IP practice and the TMT sector group.
David specialises in trade marks and registered/unregistered designs. He has a strong track-record of working with clients in a diverse range of industries including life sciences, TMT, entertainment and the arts. David brings the benefit of his profile and also his experience running an international brands practice – an essential part of any full service IP practice.
Commenting on the appointments, Nicola Dagg, partner and head of the IP practice in London said: “We are excited to have Mark and David join our team, this is step-change for us. Now is a time of increasing recognition of the ever-growing value and role that IP has to play in the economies our clients operate in. Whether it comes down to patents and planning for pan-European patent litigation; TMT and clients who are facing an unprecedented period of change brought about by digital transformation; or the continued threat of counterfeiting and piracy taking on a new dimension in the digital age. A full-service, top-ranked IP practice will help us overcome these challenges for clients.”
IP litigation is set to be a cornerstone of A&O’s Global Litigation practice, with these two appointments underpinning the continued growth of the practice and also supporting other strategic goals for the firm.
Tim House, partner and global head of litigation added: “We have consistently re-affirmed our commitment to growing our IP practice and with Mark and David joining us, along with our recent announcements regarding Marjan Noor and Marc Döring, I believe our IP capabilities are now unrivalled.”
Karen Seward, partner and head of Litigation in London: “The London litigation market is competitive. Hiring Marc and Marjan was a significant step for us and with the further addition of Mark and David, we can really shift the dial. One of the firm’s strategic goals is to grow the litigation practice, we’ve made good progress over the past few years and this is another big step in the right direction – we are very pleased to welcome Mark and David to the team.”
Mark Heaney, David Stone, Marc Döring and Marjan Noor will join Nicola Dagg, Neville Cordell, Jim Ford, Mark Ridgway and Nigel Parker in A&O’s IP team in London, a key part of the firm’s 15-strong global IP partner group.
Source: www.allenovery.com
