Patents are crucial to virtually all companies that operate in the life sciences industries. This makes patent litigation a fact of business life. Detailed and exclusive IAM research has uncovered which law firms the life science powerhouses go to when disputes arise
By Gwilym Davies, Anna Lathia and Alastair Mitchell
There are few industries in which patents play as important a role as they do in the life sciences sector. And although any company – from the largest pharmaceutical multinational to the small university spinout
– will always seek to avoid disputes, sometimes they happen. When they do, access to the best private practice legal advice is crucial.
Top class lawyers combine an in-depth knowledge of the legal process, with the ability to understand their client's business and what is at stake. They then use their insights to develop strategies for fighting a case that will leave the client in the best position possible. When playing for high stakes, such a skill-set is not a luxury; it is absolutely essential. With all this in mind, we were surprised to discover that as far as we could see no
dedicated research had been done that focused on which individual lawyers and law firms are considered to be the leaders when it comes to life sciences litigation. As a result, we decided to do it ourselves.
The research process Over a period of four months an IAM team spoke to hundreds of contacts in over 20
countries. It was painstaking work and involved many hours on the telephone, as well as numerous email exchanges and follow-up research. Interviews were conducted with private practice lawyers and with life sciences industry insiders. The final results relating to individuals are to be published in a stand alone publication: the
IAM Life Sciences 250 – A Guide to the World's Leading Life Sciences Patent Litigators. The results for the firms are reproduced in the following article. To compose the tables for each country featured in this article our research team asked attorneys-at-law, patent attorneys and users of legal services involved in life sciences patent litigation to provide us with their insights into which law firms stand out for their expertise in the jurisdictions of which they have detailed knowledge and experience. The direct quotes featured in this article are also drawn from these sources and these exchanges.
Firms qualified for a listing when they and their attorneys received sufficient positive feedback from peers and clients with knowledge of their practice and the market within which they operate. Nominations were accepted solely from sources who were not with the nominee firm. Even then, this did not guarantee inclusion. Only those firms which further research showed to have exceptional skill sets and profound insights into life sciences patent litigation made it. Numerical rankings were determined on the basis of the feedback received. We decided that the higher the amount of spontaneous recognition a firm gets, the more positive the feedback is about it and the more noteworthy its work, the loftier its standing in the market. All these considerations informed the decision process.
Top Ranking life science patent litigation law firms of India
1 Anand & Anand
2 Fidus Law Chambers
3 K & S Partners
4 Rouse Legal
5 Singh & Singh Advocates
Dominating the market is powerhouse Anand & Anand, one of the few firms in India with the international reach and patent expertise necessary to service large pharmaceutical companies.
However, Anand is facing growing competition from a set of smaller firms who are investing in life sciences patent practices, following recent changes to Indian law which saw the introduction of product patents.
Tier 1
IP-focused firm Anand & Anand dominates the Indian market. Ranked "first choice" by sources worldwide, the firm has a stellar international reputation.
Tier 2
Specialist IP firm Rouse Legal advises multinational clients on the full range of IP matters, with a dedicated patent litigation team. Country manager and consultant Ranjan Narula is the key contact for IP rights enforcement. Anand & Anand alumnus Shwetasree Majumder is cofounder of the recently established fullservice Fidus Law Chambers, which has a core expertise in IP and patent law. Recent work highlights include handling cases for foreign innovator pharmaceutical companies; clients commend the team's "depth of knowledge in the life sciences field". K & S Partners is the IP division of the commercial firm J Sagar Associates; its prosecution practice has secured its position in the market and it has a growing presence in litigation. Despite Singh & Singh's compact size, the firm has a highly active IP litigation practice, particularly in the life sciences field.
Source: http://www.iam-magazine.com
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Dr.Tabrez Ahmad,
Associate Professor of Law, KIIT Law School
KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, 751024.
Website: www.site.technolexindia.com
Blog: http://tabrezahmad.technolexindia.com http://iplexindia.blogspot.com
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/tabrezahmad7.
Blogs: http://www.blogger.com/profile/15337756250055596327
Blog: http://drtabrez.wordpress.com
http://tabrezahmad.typepad.com/blog/
Research Papers: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1189281
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