How can we help you?

A leading European IP firm

Our vision is to be Europe’s IP firm of choice, a goal that drives every aspect of our business.

For our clients, this means more than just providing services. We build strong personal relationships and assemble multi-disciplinary teams of experts who deeply understand, and often have firsthand experience in, the clients’ industry. This approach allows us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate with our clients’ unique needs. Our commitment to investing in our people is unwavering. We empower our team to be their authentic selves and to excel in everything they do. Through technology, strategic recruitment and confident leadership, we are cultivating an environment where innovation thrives and our people are positioned to lead the industry.

This is why we confidently deliver tangible and sustainable value to our clients’ businesses, ensuring their intellectual property is protected and optimized for success.

Knowledge Hub

The HGF Knowledge Hub is your destination for the latest insights, updates and perspectives on IP and innovation. It brings together expert analysis and practical guidance from our specialists across a wide range of sectors.

Go to the Knowledge Hub
HGF Event
Mar 10 2026

HGF Women IP Inclusive Event

HGF are hosting Connected Bubbles Networking Event on Wednesday 25 March 2026 and this year they are teaming up with CIPA! In a profession built on collaboration, referrals and trusted relationships, strong networks matter. Connected Bubbles is a coordinated, nationwide celebration of the IP community. On the same day, IP professionals across the UK will be coming together in multiple cities, creating a shared moment of connection from Scotland to the South West. Connected Bubbles gives IP prof...
25th March 2026
HGF Women IP Inclusive Event
Other Events
Feb 11 2026

HGF are Gold Sponsors of IPBC Europe 2026

HGF are proud sponsors of IPBC Europe 2026, taking place from 23-25 March 2026 at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse. Bringing together patent pioneers, in-house leaders and private practice specialists, IPBC Europe, curated by IAM, is one of the leading forums for exploring patent value creation, risk management and commercial strategy across Europe and beyond. Masterclass: Europe's role in global SEP enforcement HGF Partner & Patent Attorney, Susan Keston will be taking part in the masterclass ...
Paris 23rd - 25th March 2026
HGF are Gold Sponsors of IPBC Europe 2026
Other Events
Feb 27 2026

HGF are sponsors of IQPC Europe 2026

HGF is proud to sponsor IQPC's Global IP Exchange Europe 2026, an exclusive invite-only forum bringing together senior in-house IP decision makers from across Europe. In a landscape shaped by tightening budgets, expanding regulatory frameworks, increasing global competition and the proliferation of counterfeit goods, this year’s theme, “Breaking the Stalemate” challenges leaders to rethink strategy, manage risk intelligently and unlock smarter, more resource-savvy approaches to IP management. ...
16th, 17th March 2026
HGF are sponsors of IQPC Europe 2026
FOOD & DRINK + IP
Mar 4 2026

IP Ingredients: The IP in Personalized nutrItion

Personalised nutrition is the provision of dietary advice which is tailored to a person based on their individual characteristics and lifestyle.  As analytical techniques become faster and cheaper, and AI tools more advanced, businesses are seeking to capitalize on heightened consumer awareness of the impact of diet on health as well as their desire for a personalized approach. Many companies rely on genetic testing, such as UK-based BioSynergy, which offers personalized dietary advice based ...
Jennifer Bailey
Jennifer Bailey

Partner & Patent Attorney

IP Ingredients: The IP in Personalized nutrItion
Go to the Knowledge Hub

Three core areas for a complete service offering

Prepare

Our dedicated, specialist attorneys are skilled in maximising value at the vital early stages of a technical innovation, laying the foundations for powerful, long-term protection.

Select a service to find out more.

Protect

Our expertise in optimising IP to maximise our clients' business objectives. Our breadth and depth of experience and knowledge allows us to take-on complex challenges and provide protection.

Select a service to find out more.

Enforce & exploit

Our in-house litigation, oppositions and appeals teams are highly skilled with a proven track record in securing successful outcomes in some of the most contentious, high-profile cases in Europe.

Select a service to find out more.

Industries

By tapping into rich in-house experience, our attorneys truly understand the different business landscapes in which we specialise.

Creative, media & entertainment

We work with a considerable number of creative, media and entertainment companies to guide and advise on protecting the intellectual property which they create.

Energy

From the sunny climes of Brazil to the tar sands of Canada, countries have different natural resources to generate energy, with varying government priorities and approaches to IP.

FemTech

Our accomplished FemTech team are experts in patent drafting, prosecution, appeals, FTO and infringement opinions, and litigation for large corporate firms, SMEs, universities, and overseas associates

Finance

IP rights underpin a lot of value in the finance industry. They are all too often the unappreciated core of commercial or investment banking services, foreign exchange, investment services, research, fund and asset management, insurance, financial exports, stock exchanges and clearing houses, accountancy and audit, and every business allied to the sector.

Food & drink

Food and Drink is a diverse and innovative sector where businesses from global conglomerates to bio-tech based start-ups strive to meet the demands of a truly challenging market.

Healthcare

The healthcare sector has a long history of life-changing innovation, with new and evolving technology at its core.

Pharmaceuticals

Combining technical expertise and industry experience, our pharmaceuticals team provides comprehensive support and advice for every stage of a product’s development and lifespan.

Retail

From bricks and mortar to online retail, there are challenging times ahead, with technology and ethics driving developments across the sector.

Sector groups

Our attorneys combine impressive academic and industry experience with strong commercial acumen to deliver world-class, specialist IP support.

Chemistry

The chemical and pharmaceutical fields are constantly evolving as new chemicals, drugs, compositions, materials and processes are needed to meet the ever increasing demands of tomorrow’s world.

Law

Our law team provides services which complement those provided by HGF’s patent and trade mark attorneys, covering IP litigation, transactional IP, commercial law, data protection and privacy, due diligence and IP advisory work.

Life sciences

Technology specific legal issues abound in this sector, with route to market often involving rigorous regulation; factors to be understood when developing appropriate long-term patent strategies that maximise exclusivity and drive business success.

Technology & engineering

The Technology & Engineering landscape is evolving, with new innovations driving change across industries. Our team helps to protect and commercialise cutting-edge developments in this dynamic environment.

Trade marks

As businesses increasingly put 'brand' at the heart of their growth strategies, trade marks play a vital role in protecting equity and driving economic growth.

Latest Updates

Articles
Feb 27 2026

European Drone Companies, Where are Your Patents?

With significant consolidations occurring in the drone and eVTOL sectors, some European companies look set to miss out through a failure of IP strategy. Innovations and technology often account for the greatest share of the value of a business. Patents are typically a critical factor in demonstrating and realising that value. When the time comes to seek investment or an exit, ownership of a patent portfolio, commensurate with the size and nature of a business, is usually key to securing a...
John Hawtree
John Hawtree

Patent Director

European Drone Companies, Where are Your Patents?
FOOD & DRINK + IP
Mar 4 2026

IP Ingredients: The IP in Personalized nutrItion

Personalised nutrition is the provision of dietary advice which is tailored to a person based on their individual characteristics and lifestyle.  As analytical techniques become faster and cheaper, and AI tools more advanced, businesses are seeking to capitalize on heightened consumer awareness of the impact of diet on health as well as their desire for a personalized approach. Many companies rely on genetic testing, such as UK-based BioSynergy, which offers personalized dietary advice based ...
Jennifer Bailey
Jennifer Bailey

Partner & Patent Attorney

IP Ingredients: The IP in Personalized nutrItion
HGF Event
Mar 10 2026

HGF Women IP Inclusive Event

HGF are hosting Connected Bubbles Networking Event on Wednesday 25 March 2026 and this year they are teaming up with CIPA! In a profession built on collaboration, referrals and trusted relationships, strong networks matter. Connected Bubbles is a coordinated, nationwide celebration of the IP community. On the same day, IP professionals across the UK will be coming together in multiple cities, creating a shared moment of connection from Scotland to the South West. Connected Bubbles gives IP prof...
25th March 2026
HGF Women IP Inclusive Event
HGF Presents
Jan 9 2026

Inventive step

Overview: European patent applications are assessed for inventive step using the EPO’s structured problem–solution approach, which differs in important ways from other jurisdictions. This video explains how the EPO applies the three‑step problem-solution test and why understanding this framework is essential for effective drafting and prosecution in Europe. It also highlights practical drafting tips, including the importance of clearly describing technical effects to support robust inventi...
Inventive step
Legal Updates
Mar 9 2026

UK Court Reflects on Anti-suits, Comity and Coordination in RAND Litigation

Amazon.Com, Inc. [& ors] v Interdigital VC Holdings, Inc. [& ors] – Meade J –[2026] EWHC 499 (Pat) – 05 March 2026 Mr Justice Meade permitted Amazon to make a declaration limiting its RAND action in the UK, as ordered by the Mannheim Local Division of the UPC.  The Mannheim LD required Amazon to make the declaration in the UPC and UK proceedings to prevent it from being in contempt of the anti-suit injunction the Mannheim LD had ordered.  Meade reluctantly accepted the declaration and provide...
No image available
News
Mar 10 2026

HGF ESG Report

We are proud to share our first annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report — an important milestone in HGF’s ongoing commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices. This report provides an overview of our current ESG position, highlighting the progress we have made to date and outlining our priorities and future ESG commitments. Within the report, we focus on: People – Focusing on the well-being, engagement, diversity, equality, and inclusion (DE&I) of our...
HGF ESG Report
Fashionably IP
Feb 13 2026

Can a trade mark registration for fashion designers name be deemed deceptive?

Rebecca Field and Lee Curtis discuss the importance of personal names in the world of fashion and a recent decision of the CJEU concerning the registration of a trade mark relating to French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Did the use of the name JC de CASTELBAJAC post registration, after the sale of the underlying business, lead to a trade mark registration for the name to be invalidated on the basis of deceptiveness?  Is this decision contrary to the well-known decision relating ...
Can a trade mark registration for fashion designers name be deemed deceptive?
News
Mar 2 2026

HGF Ranked #5 in Top UK Trade Mark Law Firms (2021-2025)

We are proud to share that HGF has been ranked 5th in the Top 50 Trade Mark Law Firms from Great Britain in a recent report from IP Pilot. The ranking is based on trade mark representation data covering a five-year period, analysing the number of UK trade mark filings prosecuted by firms between 2021 and 2025. Drawing from official UKIPO records, the report evaluates the Top 1,000 UK trade mark attorney firms and identifies the leading 50 by overall filing volume. About the IP Pilot Report ...
HGF Ranked #5 in Top UK Trade Mark Law Firms (2021-2025)