WIPR Insights UK Trademark Rankings 2024: D Young & Co 'Outstanding'

This is WIPR Insights' first UK Trademarks Rankings of leading firms and practitioners, a robust assessment of the UK intellectual property market that includes surveying client and other leading individuals.

The D Young & Co trade mark team is ranked 'outstanding' for our non-contentious work and 'recommended' for our contentious work. We are grateful to receive such positive feedback from our clients and colleagues.

WIPR comments that the firm: "works with some of the most famous and valuable brands in the world. The pan-European IP firm is known among peers for its non-contentious practice. In addition, “extremely happy” clients report the team takes on trademark matters from cradle to grave, evidenced by the firm’s relationship with cosmetics company Lush. D Young & Co handles a portfolio spanning 75 countries for Lush, developing global filing strategies, managing prosecution and opposition matters worldwide, and acting in multi-jurisdictional infringement litigation. Numerous new clients joined D Young & Co in 2023, including elite brands both through tender wins and referrals from the firm’s patent practice."

Furthermore "A regular before the UK Intellectual Property Office, the team represents its A-list clients in trademark opposition matters, and since 2020 has acted in over 100 of these disputes on behalf of Meta-owned social media platform Instagram. The litigation practice has expanded since first established in 2011, and in 2021 issued the highest number of cases before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). The firm works hand in hand with its WIPR-ranked German office for clients with UK and EU needs, navigating separate enforcement matters following Brexit. An example is Skechers, for which D Young & Co has advised on matters before the IPEC in the UK, the German courts, and EU Intellectual Property Office, as well as matters outside of Europe."

The survey also comments that "The trademark team of eight partners and 17 fee earners is located across all three of D Young & Co’s offices in London, Southampton and Munich. London- and Munich-based partner and solicitor Tamsin Holman is “pleasant, to the point and sharp”, says a client. Holman brought her experience as a barrister to set up D Young & Co’s litigation practice. She focuses on all IP disputes, working with the firm’s German litigators to coordinate multiple proceedings in numerous jurisdictions at one time. Working alongside Holman is London-based Anna Reid, a go-to for IPEC matters. Peers notice London- and Munich-based Matthew Dick’s “strong relationships” with clients, “how much they value the work and advice, and he’s had some of those clients for a very long time”. Dick focuses on brand-related law, specialising in trademarks and is the client partner for top clients."

The survey notes that "Among D Young’s eight recent hires is Peter Byrd, moving from Charles Russell Speechlys. Byrd is “a star of the future,” and as a senior associate he brings a broad brands-related practice, advising on trademark rights and disputes."