Our Firm

A commercial and innovative mindset

Protecting innovation and prioritising your commercial goals. It is this combination that sets us apart from other firms.

We go further than offering a catch-all approach to intellectual property law. We offer tailored solutions to protect your business in the short and long term. We put your innovations at the heart of the matter and extend our impact beyond the standard legal protection of your ideas.

Your commercial objectives are our priority. Each of our clients faces a unique challenge in their industry. So we listen first, then develop a collaborative approach that sees us work towards a shared goal: the commercial success of your business.

Expertise across the board

Intellectual property can be complex. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. To confront such a variety of challenges requires a wide pool of resources. Our trusted team’s wide range of service and sectoral expertise gives us exactly that, with each of our attorneys, solicitors and barristers bringing their own specialisms, skills and experience to the table.

We also look beyond rights protection, covering enforcement, licensing and strategy to help make sure you can achieve your wider goals. This holistic approach is why so many of our clients choose us again and again: from leading corporations to SMEs, start-ups, universities and individual inventors, our clients know we have their best interests at heart, and that their success is what drives us to succeed.  

Sector focused expertise

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AI
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Aerospace, Automotive and Transport
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Biotechnology
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Chemistry & Materials
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Consumer Products & Services
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Electronics, Software and Communications
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Energy
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Engineering
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Environmental Technology
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Financial & Professional Services
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Medical Devices
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Pharmaceuticals

History

Siegmund Sokal

Venner Shipley is a modern and innovative firm of European patent and trade mark attorneys and litigators with a history stretching back over more than 80 years.

The origins of the firm go back to the 1930s when Siegmund Sokal established a patent agency practice inLondon and built up a significant portfolio of German clients. Siegmund died in 1945 and his widow offered the practice for sale. In the immediate post-war years, this did not seem to the profession at large to represent a great business opportunity.

1930

Post-war rebuilding

Harold Venner purchased the practice in 1947 and set about resurrecting pre-war clients and finding new ones. Early clients were ZF Friedrichshafen AG (the manufacturers of ZF gearboxes) and, when the German Democratic Republic was formed in 1949, VEB Carl Zeiss Jena, the East German part of the pre-war Carl Zeiss. Through the 1950s, before the advent of the European Patent Office, clients were largely domestic and European, with some from the USA. Harold’s son, Alan Venner joined the firm in 1961 and the 1960s proved to be a period of client development. For example, Harold Venner acted on behalf of Rael-Brook Ltd to patent the first drip-dry shirt.

1947

Warwick Shipley

In 1966, Warwick Shipley, a chemist, joined Harold in partnership and the practice continued to grow throughout the 1970s. Alan Venner became a partner in 1978 and there has been a Venner as a partner in the firm right up until late 2008 when Alan retired.

1966

Change and expansion

In 2004, the firm became a UK limited liability partnership. In 2006, we opened our second office in Cambridge.

2004

More Expansion!

Over the last decade, the firm has continued to evolve. Our emphasis has been on developing a breadth of service for clients and this has inevitably led to growth and change. 2014 saw the opening of two new offices in Guildford and Munich. In 2015 we opened our fifth office in Manchester.

2016

Brookes IP joins the Venner Shipley group

November 2020 saw the addition of Tunbridge Well’s firm Brookes IP to the Venner Shipley group, bringing their extensive knowledge and expertise to our team. Brookes IP traces its history and company name back to 1852.

2020

What People Say

  • “Venner Shipley has a diverse team with depth and breadth of knowledge. The team is academically very talented and can grasp new ideas and concepts very quickly, and more importantly, they can convert the idea into the written form.”

    “Everyone at Venner is incredible in terms of providing clear and concise communications and work product on time that includes detailed and accurate analysis.”

  • “The team are uniquely positioned to provide quick and efficient legal assistance whenever it is necessary. They clearly work very well together. Unlike with other firms, this team always get back to me promptly and I never need to follow up.”

    “I’ve been impressed with the partners’ client management and cost-effective and practical updates and advice notes. The firm’s matter management is also good.”

  • “On all matters, we have enjoyed our working experience with them. They are very responsive and timely in getting work done. They are also excellent at explaining matters of local practice that are relevant to the matters that we work on with them, which may differ from our local practice in the US. I would also like to add that we have had very pleasant experiences working with the paralegals and staff at Venner Shipley. With many other firms we work with outside the US, it is not as clear who we communicate with at times, or who our own paralegals and staff can reach out to with questions. But Venner Shipley has always provided clear contact points that allow for a better working relationship as we know all of the individuals we are working with at the firm.”

    “Venner Shipley is a go-to firm for any UK trade mark matters. I also highly recommend them when asked for a reference in the UK by my peers. Working with them is a breeze, and they provide much value.”

  • “Venner Shipley includes numerous associates who understand technical details across a variety of different subject matters. In addition, because we have worked together for many years, the associates understand the goals of the portfolio and how individual patent applications strategically align in the bigger picture of our overall goals.”

    “A great team of professionals dedicated to satisfying their clients and to making their job as professional as possible.”

  • “There is a depth of knowledge and understanding across the team. They also have solid relationships globally with similarly minded organisations”

    “I have worked with many members of the firm across a variety of complex technologies and have never doubted their abilities to understand the underlying technology. I have recommended the firm to colleagues who are looking for European attorneys.”