Appleyard Lees
Contact us
Appleyard Lees acts for successful defendants, Asda and IPL, in first claim for infringement of plant breeders’ rights brought to trial in the UK

Our transactional IP services

We have extensive experience in drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on commercial transactions that are driven by IP assets.

We advise technology focused companies in the commercialisation of their IP assets through licensing and other commercial contracts, providing both legal support and strategic perspective. We offer clear, pragmatic, business-oriented legal guidance to founders, early-stage companies, university/research institute tech transfer offices, high-growth start-ups, and investors. 

We can provide advice on implementing frameworks for contractual arrangements, both past and present, and propose processes for future agreements. These include:

  • Confidentiality and secrecy
  • Assignments and transfers
  • Franchise agreements
  • Manufacturing and distribution
  • Research and collaborations
  • Terms and conditions
  • Software development
  • Maintenance and licensing
  • Co-existence and settlement agreements
  • IP licensing

We also assist in establishing trade secret libraries and policies.  

Our solicitors collaborate closely with our attorneys to devise and maintain effective IP strategies, conduct IP audits, and perform due diligence exercises, including those related to mergers and acquisitions; bringing together legal and commercial strategy for the effective protection, development and commercial exploitation of IP. 

 

We structure our input to the bespoke needs of our clients

We work with clients in various ways: 

  • Ad hoc, for example, advice on IP warranties as part of a due diligence exercise in the acquisitions of technology-driven companies 
  • By project, for example, provision of templates to align with the market launch of a product 
  • Through a more regular relationship, which is particularly effective for resource scarce companies who do not have the need or resources for their own legal function 

For early-stage companies in particular, including pre-seed and those in the growth stage, we help put in place contracts in connection with: 

  • Rights to, and the use of, confidential information and proprietary technology, material, or data 
  • Development of IP through research collaborations with commercial partners 
  • Exclusive licensing of patents by territory or field to develop and sell a product, generating development milestone payments and royalities to the licensor 

Head of IP Transactions, Partner, Amritjot Jethwa

Amrit’s experience as an IP solicitor allows her to effectively assist clients to protect and commercially exploit their IP, including trade marks, patents as well as know-how and trade secrets, by providing strategic legal advice to support businesses at their respective stage of growth.

Amrit works with clients of various sizes, with a particular focus on founder-CEO start-ups, equity backed early stage technology companies, and SMEs.  Such clients cross a number of sectors including life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, with subject matter ranging from diagnostic and therapeutic agents, biological and chemical compounds, psychedelics, PET-imaging agents, proteins, polymers, imaging devices, analytical instruments, machine perfusion, alternative fuels, drug delivery systems and artificial intelligence based platforms.

 

Full profile

Partner, Robert Cumming 

Robert is a dual-qualified trade mark attorney and solicitor and manages large international portfolios and complex multi-jurisdictional disputes for market-leading businesses.

Robert’s expertise lies in the strategic positioning of a brand. His experience managing international trade mark portfolios and complex cross-border litigation, complements his background working on large corporate transactions.

Robert’s background as a litigator and experience working on large corporate deals gives his team extraordinary strength when working on gaining the best possible outcome for clients.

Full profile

Partner, Chris Hoole

Chris is a dual-qualified solicitor and chartered trade mark attorney, experienced in contentious and non-contentious intellectual property (IP) matters, including trade marks, designs, copyright and patents.

Working closely with a range of businesses, from blue-chip multinationals to SMEs, Chris provides tailored strategic and commercial advice to help IP-conscious businesses better protect and police their IP rights.

Chris has capitalised on his experience and commercial know-how to build and establish the firm’s highly-respected disputes team, and has acted for and advised clients in the High Court, the IPEC, and the UK and European trade mark registries. Chris is also experienced in formal mediation.

 

Full profile

Senior Associate, Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas is a dual-qualified IP solicitor and trade mark attorney. Chris has a broad commercial practice which includes drafting a wide range of commercial IP agreements, including international licensing and distribution agreements, commercial supply terms (both B2B and B2C), privacy policies, manufacturing agreements, research and development/collaboration agreements, IP transfers, agency and consultancy agreements, copyright end-user licences and software development, maintenance and services agreements.

Chris has worked with clients in a range of sectors from biotech to gaming, engineering, healthcare, social influencers, fashion, the creative industries, education, e-commerce and IT. He was involved in negotiating and drafting of an international cross-licensing agreement of patent and trade mark portfolio between a University spin-out and a manufacturer client, which was awarded Innovation Showcase Collaboration Award of the Year 2024. Chris has advised extensively on the use of artificial intelligence (LLM) software into existing commercial services models, including the use of digital avatar technology.

Chris’ commercial practice includes advising on wider IP rights and conducting IP audits for clients. He has experience conducting due diligence and advising in relation to transfer of IP within wider asset purchases and takeovers. With a background in commercial dispute resolution, Chris has negotiated wide range of settlement agreements for clients involved in disputes and can advise robustly on enforcement of agreements and key areas of commercial risk for clients.

Full profile

Case study:

Expedient IP development and commercialisation using Strategic Transactional Management   

An early-stage life sciences industry spin-out sought to utilise strategic collaborations, synergistic partnerships, and licensing agreements to fast track their product development and commercial growth.  

Read case study

The Greenshoots Podcast by Appleyard Lees – episode 36 – commercialising innovation: five golden rules for licensors and licensees when licensing IP

In this episode, Amritjot Jethwa, Head of Commercial IP Contracts, is joined by Chris Hoole, Partner. Together, they provide a quick-fire summary of 5 important factors to consider as a Licensor and as a Licensee when licensing technology, creating the building blocks for the successful commercialisation of IP.

Get in touch

Get in touch with our team to discuss how we can help via the form below.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
I would like to speak to an Appleyard Lees attorney about (check all that apply):
Chambers 2026 WIPR 2025 - UK Patents 2025 Financial Times IP Stars JUVE Patent IAM 1000 The Legal 500 WIPR WTR 100
Chambers 2026 WIPR 2025 - UK Patents 2025 Financial Times IP Stars JUVE Patent IAM 1000 The Legal 500 WIPR WTR 100
Skip to content