Bristows life sciences IP litigator joins A&O on brink of merger

Partner with extensive patent litigation experience joins London office | A&O is finalising merger with Shearman & Sterling.

Former Bristows partner Gemma Barrett has joined Allen & Overy’s IP practice in London as a life sciences specialist.

Barrett has over ten years’ experience advising life sciences clients in patent litigation matters before the English courts, and providing strategic advice regarding multijurisdictional patent portfolios.

Her contentious work has also included cross-border litigation within Europe, India and China, and arbitrating IP disputes both domestically and internationally.

With an academic background in biochemistry, she has navigated disputes covering small molecule pharmaceuticals, molecular diagnostics, biologics, antibodies, and industrial chemical processes.

Barrett’s hire, along with the addition of Anna Wolters-Höhne in Germany, means that half of A&O’s global life sciences patent litigation partnership is now made up of female partners.

Allen & Overy announced last year that it was merging with US law firm Shearman & Sterling to create A&O Shearman. The newly combined firm will comprise nearly 4,000 lawyers across 48 offices globally, with $3.5 billion in revenue.

Partnerships at both firms voted in favour of the merger in October, and the deal is expected to close in or before May of this year.

David Stone, head of A&O’s global IP practice, said: “Gemma will be a great addition to our thriving life sciences IP practice. She has considerable litigation experience involving highly technical subject matter and will offer our clients a great depth of knowledge in protecting patent portfolios spanning international markets.

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Gemma to the team at this exciting time, as our merger with Shearman & Sterling is being finalised to become A&O Shearman.”

Laëtitia Bénard, global co-head of life sciences at A&O, commented: “We are thrilled to have Gemma join us and grow the intellectual property law expertise that we can offer our life sciences clients. Gemma brings with her a wealth of experience in patent litigation within the life sciences specialism, and we are very pleased to have her join our firm.”

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