No UK law firm currently has as strong a presence at the UPC as Powell Gilbert. Whether for Asus, AIM Sport, Ocado or Edwards Lifesciences, the London litigation firm was active in many of the UPC’s first cases. None of its rivals from London have managed this, and only a handful of its continental competitors can boast of having a stronger presence.
After the Brexit vote in 2016, it was by no means certain whether UK lawyers would even be allowed to participate in the UPC. However, the Powell Gilbert partners were aware that in the future, Europe-wide coordination of large-volume proceedings – one of the firm’s strengths – would only be awarded to law firms with UPC expertise. They have since creatively and impressively sought their way to the UPC. They were quick to take advantage of the Irish route and opened an office in Dublin, where 15 lawyers are now admitted to practise in Ireland and thus also at the UPC. Some competitors consider this a risky strategy because Ireland has not yet ratified the UPC Agreement. But the vast presence of Powell Gilbert partners in UPC proceedings where millions of euros are at stake, such as for Edwards Lifesciences against Meril Life Sciences concerning heart valves, but also for the Indian SME Bhagat Group regarding textile machinery, proves this was the right step.
Powell Gilbert has been active at a plethora of UPC divisions – something of which few of its rivals can boast. The firm spreads the work across many shoulders, rather than those of a sole senior partner. Simon Ayrton, Siddharth Kusumakar, Ari Laakkonen,Bryce Matthewson, Tom Oliver, Alex Wilson and Joel Coles are all equally present. Kusumakar and Laakkonen achieved important successes at the UPC for their clients Edwards Lifesciences and AIM Sport.
The UK solicitors are not afraid of new challenges; for the first time they no longer need to let UK barristers take precedence in the courtroom but can plead themselves at the UPC. The Powell Gilbert partners usually work with local advisors from their large and well-maintained network of European patent litigators. Now, they are entering the ring alone for the first time to represent City Glass and Glazing at a local division.