Powell Gilbert is top ranked for Patent Contentious with Simon Ayrton, Zoë Butler, Penny Gilbert, Ari Laakkonen, Tim Powell and Alex Wilson listed as patent ‘IP Stars 2014’ in Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Stars Handbook 2014.
The Handbook describes the firm as below:
Though it is a smaller, IP-focused practice Powell Gilbert comfortably sits with some of the biggest names in the industry. “Powell Gilbert are excellent, they really are,” says a client. “They’re a boutique firm so are very, very knowledgeable about patents. They’re very practical and they took time to get to know the business and what we were trying to achieve. They became quite integrated into our strategy.” That concept of integration is something others have also been impressed with. Another client says: “They are easy and enjoyable to work with and create a team integrating client and external advisers comfortably and productively. They have a well-balanced team for any serious contentious matter.”
Without question the high-profile practitioners at the firm are name partners Tim Powell and Penny Gilbert and they receive universal praise from peers and clients. One says: “Penny has strong strategic and tactical skills but is also thorough and accurate in detailed matters. She is acutely sensitive to commercial issues and highly responsive to changing situations.” Others in the team also impress and two of those are Alex Wilson and Simon Ayrton: “Simon’s a real techie and is a charming chap. Alex is a good lawyer and good on strategy. Simon’s more a details man and you certainly want him on your side when you go to court. He understands the patents very, very well.”
One client is also thoroughly impressed with the work of associate Jennifer Antcliff. “She’s very thorough and her advice is quite insightful. Everything seems well thought through and the strategic insight is top notch. I think she’s really good, very bright and strategically she is very thorough and diligent. One of the things I like is absolutely knowing that when I speak to her or get correspondence from her it’s been extremely well thought through.”