In preparation for the new Unified Patent Court (UPC), Allen & Overy (A&O) has strengthened its life sciences practice with the hire of Simmons & Simmons IP partner Marjan Noor.
Noor (pictured) is well regarded for her specialisation in patent litigation and regulatory advice in the life sciences sector. Joining Simmons & Simmons in 2010, Noor has represented clients such as pharmaceutical companies Bayer, GSK Vaccines and Eli Lilly.
The firm said Noor’s arrival is ‘an important part of the firm’s preparations for the UPC and the strategically significant patent litigation in this new forum’, allowing the A&O team to ‘fully take advantage of the opportunities presented by the UPC’.
The new court represents the biggest ever shake up of European patent legislation, as it creates a create a unified position to patent registration and litigation across 25 European member states, affecting businesses in a range of sectors, including TMT, life sciences, aerospace & defence and industrial & manufacturing.
A&O global head of litigation Tim House described Noor as an excellent patent litigator and life sciences regulatory specialist.
He added: ‘We are delighted to welcome her to our strategically important and thriving practice group. We are confident that Marjan’s appointment will boost and strengthen our client offering.’
Noor joins a 15 partner strong global IP group, working alongside London IP litigation head Nicola Dagg, Neville Cordell, Jim Ford, Mark Ridgway and Nigel Parker in the firm’s London office.
Dagg said Noor’s hire comes at a time of ‘generational change for patent litigatiors’.
She addeD: ‘This is extremely timely given how busy patent litigation is in the life sciences sector on the eve of the UPC opening for business with the life sciences division in London.’
The hire is part of wider growth that is expected across the four year tenure of the firm’s new management team. Senior partner Wim Dejonghe and managing partner Andrew Ballheimer are to lead the firm until 2020.
Speaking with Legal Business, Dejonghe and Ballheimer indicated their goal is to ‘keep growing in a quality way’ with further growth expected across the US, China and Europe.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk