HGF Ltd ranked Gold in FT Europe's Leading Patent Firms 2020
Click here for more infoRead press release (NL)
Your idea is a precious and unique thing. HGF can help you protect it.
Find out more about HGFFrom March 1 Patronus IP have merged with HGF
Click here to meet the German teamRead press release (NL)
Patents, Trade Marks, Designs, Copyrights, IP Solicitors, Appeals and Oppositions, Due Diligence and Strategy.
HGF offers everything you would expect of a world-class intellectual property firm, including patent and trade mark acquisition as well as appeals and oppositions to protect your creative work.
We also focus on providing a bespoke service tailored to your industry, to ensure you really get the most out of your big ideas. Our teams are dedicated to providing professional, expert advice and support every step of the way.
-
Patents
If you‘re developing technology, can you afford not to patent it?
Find out more -
Trade Marks
Identify the rights you own and maximise their value in your business
Find out more -
Appeals & Oppositions
Protecting your investment
Find out more -
Due Diligence and Freedom-to-Operate
The right foundation for every IP portfolio
Find out more -
HGF Law
A specialist law firm committed to giving expert advice on contentious and non-contentious IP matters
Find out more -
IP Inclusive
Working for diversity and inclusion in IP
Find out more
Our people think differently, giving our clients the edge
The latest news and cutting edge commentary from across the group
Webinar: Attracting Big Pharma to the Microbiome Field
HGF Partners Craig Thomson and Dr Andrew Wells will be presenting a webinar on 'Attracting Big Pharma to the Microbiome Field' on 8th July.
Find out moreThe European Patent Institute (epi) Webinar series - “Case Law Online“
HGF Partner Leythem Wall will be presenting a webinar on “Priority” on 1st July and on “Clarity” on 8th July.
Find out moreIAM Patent 1000 2020
The IAM Patent 1000 – the world’s leading patent professionals 2020 guide has now been published. HGF has 14 attorneys listed.
Find out more
IP considerations in COVID-19 vaccine development: tensions and tools
HGF Partner Dr Leena Contarino and Senior Patent Attorney Ellie Purnell discuss the perceived tension between patent protection and information sharing at a time of need for collaboration and speed, and suggest that, as evidenced by the Ebola vaccine campaign, patent protection, informatio…
Find out more
Co-Existence Agreements – The Importance of Getting Them Right
A co-existence agreement allows businesses to trade using the same (or similar) mark, but with certain agreed restrictions, such as geographical constraints where a mark can be used. For example – one party may be able to sell under the mark in Europe, and another can sell under the mark i…
Find out more
A virtual success – experiences with online hearings
To assist with the continued operation of civil proceedings during the COVID-19 crisis, the courts have been allowing parties to conduct trials and hearings remotely. Given social distancing and the uncertainty of when courts and offices are due to reopen, remote hearings could represent a…
Find out more
COVID-19 licensing challenges
The taking of new therapies and technologies forward to meet the challenges of COVID-19 is happening at previously unprecedented rates. MHRA is taking flexible approaches to regulation during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes providing expedited scientific advice, and rapid reviews of c…
Find out more
UK Supreme Court invalidates Regeneron’s transgenic mouse patents for lack of sufficiency
In its long-awaited judgment on the dispute over patents for transgenic mice, the UK Supreme Court has held by a majority (Lady Black dissenting) that Regeneron’s patents are invalid for a lack of sufficiency (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (Respondent) v Kymab Ltd (Appellant) [2020] UKSC …
Find out more
In times of crisis necessity is the mother of all invention
The trouble with emergencies is they leave little time to develop normal working relationships and collaborations.
Find out more
Keep calm and carry your brand through the COVID-19 crisis
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19 has had an unprecedented and dramatic impact on people and businesses internationally. The measures that have been put in place to contain the spread of the virus are the most significant restrictions since World War Two, with the economic impact as yet unce…
Find out more
A look at the WIPO coronavirus tools
On the 23rd April, WIPO announced it was launching a specific search platform to aid researchers in searching for inventions that could be helpful in the current Covid-19 pandemic.The search platform is part of WIPO’s established ‘PATENTSCOPE’ online search database that allows users to lo…
Find out more
FT - Europe's leading patent law firms 2020
HGF has been ranked in Gold “very frequently recommended” for Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals Electrical Engineering Silver for “ frequently recommended” for Mechanical Engineering Biotechnology & Food And Bronze “recommended” for Materials & Nanotechnology
Find out more
The IoT & Industry 4.0 Online Conference & Exhibition
The IoT & Industry 4.0 Online Conference & Exhibition will be held on 16th June with HGF Partner Jason Lessard presenting.
Find out moreCompulsory licences: the key to accessing inventions in the face of coronavirus?
The current coronavirus pandemic provides a unique opportunity for the life sciences sector to invent, and to do so on an international scale. The race is on to develop a vaccine, effective therapies, and accurate tests for the virus required by every country in the world, but such innovat…
Find out more
CIPA Journal: The UK says goodbye, Germany decides, the UPC says… ?
As widely reported, CIPA was informed on 27 February that the government will no longer seek to participate in the Unitary Patent (‘UP’) or Unified Patent Court (‘UPC’) system. Despite the UK government having ratified the UPC Agreement back in April 2018 for many such a decision to pull b…
Find out more
MIP IP Stars 2020
Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars 2020, comprising the highly recommended IP professionals, has now been published. HGF is delighted to have 13 attorneys listed.
Find out more
How can you mediate without meeting?
Litigation is inevitable in the current economic climate. However, the perception is that settlement might be more difficult to achieve without face to face meetings or access to ADR. Mediation is one way that disputes can still be settled even if the traditional style mediation in the sam…
Find out more
G3/19: An end to the saga…
On 14th May the Enlarged Board of Appeal issued its opinion on the questions referred in case G3/19, otherwise known as the ‘Pepper’ case[1]. HGF have been following the case with interest, and attended the original Board of Appeal hearing which lead to the referral.
Find out more
Opposition case studies
With an increasing number of European patents being granted year on year, freedom to operate for third parties has never been so important. When a patent application is filed at the European Patent Office (EPO), upon grant it becomes a bundle of national patents and subject to national pat…
Find out more
The Wild East? Protecting trade marks in China
Although China is becoming an increasingly important consumer market, it still has the reputation of being a cheap (counterfeit) production country, with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) being the motor of the Chinese economy.
Find out more
Twenty one offices in leading cities across the UK and Continental Europe
Aberdeen
Our Aberdeen office opened in 2011 in response to the wide number of innovative firms in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
View officeAmsterdam
In January 2017, HGF continued its European expansion with the launch of its office in Amsterdam.
View officeBasel
In February 2016, HGF’s second office outside the UK opened in Basel, Switzerland.
View officeBirmingham
HGF's Birmingham office was opened in November 2012, and since then has gone from strength to strength.
View officeEdinburgh
Following on from the success of our Glasgow and, more recently, our Aberdeen offices, HGF opened an Edinburgh office in early 2012 to provide a base for servicing the many companies and universities we act for in the east coast area.
View officeGlasgow
Our Glasgow practice has grown rapidly since we opened our doors in 2007, and we now act for many of Scotland’s top companies and universities.
View officeHeidelberg
HGF Heidelberg launched following the merge of HGF and Patronus IP in July 2018.
View officeLondon
Our London office is located in the City of London, the financial centre of the UK and Europe.
View officeMunich - Neumarkter Str.
HGF Munich launched following the merge of HGF and Patronus IP in July 2018.
View officeNewcastle
Following on from the success of our York office, HGF opened a Newcastle satellite office on May 2nd 2016 to provide a base for servicing the many companies and universities we act for in the north east area.
View officeNottingham
Our Nottingham office opened in January 2018. The office provides access to the full wealth of HGF expertise in particular in the field of Chemistry.
View officeOxford
HGF opened an Oxford office in July 2012 to build on our existing strong relationships within the local business and university community.
View officeSheffield
HGF Sheffield have been supporting local innovation and technology in South Yorkshire since 1999.
View officeYork
Since 2001, HGF York have been committed to the continued development of ideas and technology in North Yorkshire.
View office