Mewburn Ellis strengthens patent litigation team with SEP specialist

Bould will join Mewburn Ellis on 1 September 2026 from DLA Piper. She brings more than 25 years of experience in complex patent disputes, with a particular focus on standard essential patents and multi-jurisdictional litigation across the UK, Europe, the US and China.

Her practice covers litigation, arbitration, mediation, licensing compliance programmes and freedom-to-operate reviews. Bould has advised clients in sectors including technology, energy, and natural resources, as well as consumer goods and retail.

Currently, Bould is a partner in DLA Piper’s London practice, having joined in May 2020 to help build the firm’s IP and technology practice in the City. At the time, Bould was the only full-time patent partner based in London. Prior to joining DLA Piper, Bould spent 19 years at Pinsent Masons, where she made partner in 2006.

During her time at Pinsent Masons, Bould led for ZyXEL in its dispute with TQ Delta, which reached the UK Court of Appeal in 2019 and concerned DSL technology and RAND licensing. She also acted for Magnesium Elektron in a dispute with Neo Chemicals & Oxides over manufacturing technology for mixed metal oxides in catalytic converters, and represented oilfield services company Halliburton against M-I Swaco.

Building out engineering and technology

Bould’s arrival adds further capacity to Mewburn Ellis’ engineering and technology litigation practice, complementing the firm’s established patent prosecution and opposition work. According to head of legal services Sean Jauss, her hire will enable the firm to cover the full spectrum of technology patent litigation in Europe.

Mixed firm Mewburn Ellis has 55 partners and over 110 patent and trademark attorneys, solicitors and IP litigators across four UK offices and an office in Munich. It is one of the UK’s leading practices for life sciences patents with a strong focus on patent attorney work, boasting clients such as 10x Genomics, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Hoffmann-La Roche.

Push for expansion

This latest appointment continues a period of investment in the firm’s litigation practice, particularly in life sciences. In May 2025, Mewburn Ellis appointed former Carpmaels partner Camilla Balleny as head of patent litigation. Following life sciences and healthcare specialist Balleny, Amy Crouch joined from Simmons & Simmons in October. Crouch focuses on life sciences patent litigation in Europe. Then, in December, UPC representative Aled Richards-Jones joined from Carpmaels & Ransford. His practice covers patent and SPC litigation in the life sciences sector.

With Bould, the firm now expands its litigation bench beyond life sciences into technology-heavy disputes. Chairperson Richard Johnson said Bould’s arrival is “another important milestone as we continue to build out our IP offering”.

Bould stated that she was “looking forward to adding further depth” to the engineering and technology team and to working with colleagues to help clients “resolve complex patent disputes and protect their innovation in key markets, including before the UPC”.

DLA Piper needs to grow

DLA Piper‘s UK patent practice is an integral part of the firm’s respectable pan-European practice, which has recently gained attention at the UPC. Although significantly smaller than patent teams at firms such as Freshfields or Bird & Bird, DLA Piper has made a strong start at the new court with several cases, including the German team’s work for Belkin in its SEP dispute with Philips over wireless chargers and Dyson over hair-cutting technology.

Following Bould’s move to Mewburn Ellis, the patent litigation team is now left with six patent litigators. Compared to London market standards it is relatively small and was only very rarely involved in UPC litigation alongside its Germany and Italian colleagues.