Ireland

Firm overview

Over the last century we’ve been lucky enough to have played a part in protecting some of the world’s most ground-breaking inventions and high profile brands. You can trust us to know IP law inside out, to be curious, and to connect the dots to reach solutions others don’t.

We will provide you with a team, rich in real-world experience, comprising experts who have worked at the forefront of pioneering technologies. A substantial number of our lawyers hold qualifications in scientific or technical fields, meaning we are often called upon for our specialist knowledge and insight on large international mandates. We are respected for our creative and original solutions.

We offer both litigation and transactional support in relation to all IP rights, from small innovative projects to the largest, most complex and ground-breaking transactions and disputes.

Our approach has always been centred on client service, collaborating and innovating with our clients to create bespoke solutions that make their lives easier. This includes: our 'twobirds Pattern' product, a proprietary, in-house patent valuation and analysis tool, that allows us to landscape, analyse, and value patent portfolios in an automated and sophisticated way; and our innovative and dynamic Brand Protection Reporting Portal, which uses dynamic charts that give clients an up-to-date overview of their risk profile at any given time.

Talk to us to find out how our tools, experience and our genuine passion for IP can help you devise a strategy that will help to maintain your competitive edge, whilst protecting and optimising your IP in the best way possible.

Internationally Bird & Bird has over 400 IP lawyers, attorneys and legal professionals across our 29 offices, many of whom have known each other and worked together for years, meaning we're all on the same page and offer consistency and quality that runs through all levels of seniority. We are therefore ideally placed to devise and coordinate multi-jurisdictional litigation strategies and,in the future, to represent clients before the Unified Patent Court.

Office Locations: Australia, Belgium, China, Czech Republic & Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and United States of America

Firm overview

FRKelly, as the largest Intellectual Property firm in Ireland, specialises in filing, prosecution and opposition work before the EPO and the EUIPO. With over 90 years of experience, FRKelly is widely acknowledged as one of the top pre-eminent Intellectual Property law firms in Ireland and Europe.

FRKelly has offices in Ireland (Dublin and Cork) and the United Kingdom, employing 70 people, of which 30 are Intellectual Property practitioners.

The firm combines a reputable heritage with a pioneering vision and understands the value of innovation to an economy, representing many start-ups, entrepreneurs and research institutions, including Irish, UK and US universities.

While popular among domestic entities, the firm’s long-standing legacy has garnered an established international network, with more than half of its clients availing of its expertise from abroad, particularly prestigious US multinationals.

FRKelly has a strong affinity with a broad spectrum of sectors from life sciences, cleantech and medical devices to software, ICT and engineering.

Our Life Sciences Patents practice consists of 8 attorneys, including 6 Ph. D. qualified, and is led by Dr. Maura O’Connell, current Managing Partner. With over 20 years of experience, Maura specialises in oral hearings, oppositions and appeals, before the European Patent Office.

The ICT and Engineering Patents practice comprises 11 qualified patent attorneys, of which 2 are chartered engineers and 2 chartered physicists and is lead by David Brophy who also specializes in Design Law.

FRKelly have an extensive Trade Mark practice. Our Trade Mark Attorneys possess considerable  experience and an in-depth knowledge and understanding on all aspects of trade mark protection, with a particular focus on areas such as Food & Drinks, Entertainment, Marketing, Exports, and FCMG.

Shane Smith and Niamh Hall, two of our Trade Mark partners have also co-authored the book “Intellectual Property Law in Ireland (Dec 2016, 4th Edition)” which was nominated as law book of the year 2017.

We combine established expertise with a personalised approach to provide you with practical and effective legal advice, tailored to the needs of your business.

Firm overview

A&L Goodbody is consistently ranked as the leading Intellectual Property (IP) law firm in Ireland. We advise on all aspects of creating, exploiting, protecting and enforcing IP. Our areas of expertise include patents, trade marks, copyright, designs, passing off, confidentiality, trade secrets, database rights and contractual rights.

Our clients are the world's leading technology companies, pharma companies, financial institutions and telecoms operators. Our team has broad experience on contentious IP matters and our team regularly litigates IP matters before the Irish and European courts.

Our strategic and pragmatic advice is aimed at helping clients maximise and protect their brands, ideas and technologies. Our team is made up of lawyers who have international IP experience, allowing us to advise on complex IP strategy and litigation including:

• Patents
• IP Litigation
• Commercial IP
• Direct Marketing

Other locations
Belfast, London, New York, San Francisco

Firm overview

HGF is one of Europe’s largest firms of IP specialists. With a dynamic and forward-thinking growth strategy, the firm is one of the few to offer clients a fully integrated IP solution, bringing together over 190 patent attorneys, trademark attorneys, and IP solicitors. The firm has 25 offices throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Austria.

HGF is already one of the leading firms in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe in terms of its national reach, volume of Patent Cooperation Treaty and EU trademark filings, and position in major legal directories. Its growth has been secured organically and through a combination of acquisition and strategic lateral hires from both private practice and in-house counsel. This has been reflected in accolades such as a continued listing in the Financial Times Leading Law Firm and winning 7 awards at the Managing IP Awards 2025.

The firm has a proven track record of forging successful long-term relationships with clients across a spectrum of business sectors and technologies. Its highly experienced attorneys, commitment to client service, and geographical profile ensure that it is uniquely placed to attend to high-value and complex IP issues.