Dehns expands patent litigation practice with former Marks & Clerk partner

Lawyer Graham Burnett-Hall (56) comes from UK law firm Shoosmiths, which he joined two years ago. At the full service firm, he advised on a variety of IP matters, including transactional, commercial and litigation. For example, he was involved in a case for Brightwake against BSN at the UPC.

Previously he worked at Marks & Clerk for more than 20 years. He has extensive experience in the field of life sciences patent litigation. He has worked for companies such as Roche, Pfizer and Sun Pharma on patent disputes spanning pharmaceuticals, biologics, electronics and industrial technologies.

Graham Burnett-Hall

For example, he was one of the leading partners that represented Pfizer in its multi-jurisdictional dispute with GSK concerning RSV vaccines before the UK courts. Burnett-Hall also advised an Indian heart-valve manufacturer concerning its EPO oppositions and in pan-European patent disputes. Furthermore, he advised a UK medical device company on conducting patent proceedings in China.

The appointment represents a strategic investment in Dehns’ litigation practice. Adrian Samuels, Managing Partner at Dehns, commented: “Graham is a highly respected litigator with an outstanding track record. His appointment represents a significant step in enhancing further our litigation offering. Graham’s experience and reputation will be invaluable for our continued investment in strategic growth.”

Growth for the UPC

Burnett-Hall’s appointment builds on a series of recent senior hires across the firm. Benoit Guerts was appointed Dehns’ Head of IP Consulting and Coreena Brinck as Head of AI Development. Furthermore, Howard Read joined the Oslo office as Patent Director. However, last September, partner Laura Ramsay left Dehns for Kilburn & Strode. Patent attorney Ramsay was heavily involed for Advanced Bionics against MED-EL in a pan-European dispute over cochlear implants, including the UPC. She also worked on the case between AutoStore against Ocado over robot-assisted automation systems.

Dehns is widely known for the patent filing and prosecution work of its patent attorneys in the fields of automotive, IT, electronics and mechanic. In the first two years of the UPC it was one of the most present UK firms in UPC litigation but recently lost a bit momentum compared to UK competitors such as Powell Gilbert or Carpmaels & Ransford. The addition of litigator Burnett-Hall is also an investment towards more UPC litigation.