Tech, IP, media, and information

Our Tech, IP, Media and Information practice is a market leader, providing advice to clients from a broad spectrum of sectors. As Gulf economies diversify, our wide range of services and contacts become increasingly valuable to clients. We advise on new economy sectors such as technology and life sciences, as well as more traditional sectors like energy, retail and real estate. Drawing on the experience of our own international team in the UAE and utilizing our long-standing connections to reputable local law firms in the region, we deliver seamless services for UAE mandates and cross-border matters throughout the Middle East.

We have an enviable client base including government departments and government-owned entities, prominent high-net-worth individuals, families and family-owned businesses, private equity and sovereign wealth funds, as well as emerging SMEs.

We are particularly known for our work in intellectual property across the full spectrum of IP specialisms including IP rights, domain names and e-commerce; media law and reputation management; advertising and sponsorship; and franchising and broadcasting. Our team also handles regulatory, privacy and cyber issues.

Our team includes Arabic speakers, who have supported clients with their businesses for decades, and are well versed in the different cultural and business practices in the region, including Islamic finance and Sharia law, and in dealing with the local authorities. We can connect you to leading commercial institutions, government agencies, financial institutions, and other key intermediaries with whom we have strong ties.

Intellectual Property

Our Intellectual Property practice is a market leader, providing IP advice to clients from a broad spectrum of sectors.

Our team is one of the largest and strongest in Europe with more than 200 lawyers in the wider team. On the ground in 12 countries, we can advise you whatever your IP needs, whether you are looking for a creative strategy to tackle a tricky issue or new ways to enforce your rights and protect your brands. We work with the largest, most technology-rich and inventive companies in the world. From start-ups to multinationals, our knowledge spans the technology, life sciences, telecoms, electronics, software, chemicals and automotive sectors.

The size and scale of our practice means we rarely deal with issues that we have not come across before. It also means we can combine precedents and procedures, which help drive efficiency and reduce costs, with a wealth of experience in formulating innovative and creative strategies.

What makes us unusual is that we are equally highly rated across the full spectrum of IP specialisms, not only the main IP rights but also domain names and e-commerce; media law and reputation management; advertising and sponsorship; and franchising and broadcasting.

We advise on matters throughout the IP life cycle, from the development of IP protection strategies; to filing and portfolio management; through to maximizing value by licensing.

When matters become contentious, we'll help protect your assets through litigation in both national and European courts. All of our teams are technically excellent and many members have previously worked in-house, giving us a deep understanding of our clients’ needs and issues.

Services

We advise clients across the full range of IP rights including:

Our services

Brands Copyright Designs Patents Trade marks Advertising Franchising Trade secrets

Experience

Advised leading airways and aviation companies on brand protection, trademark portfolio in the region and handle strategic trademark disputes in the GCC.

Advised a leading media group in the Middle East (the largest of its kind) on media and IP-related tasks, including copyright, brand protection, trade mark portfolio and registration tasks globally, licensing, disputes (IP and media), regulatory, gaming and production, digital distribution of content, formalities and advice on permits to offer services. Defamation and privacy matters and disputes are also included.

Advised a global e-commerce and technology company on the relevant laws and regulations in the Middle East, including in the UAE, Jordan and Egypt, with a focus on audiovisual media, online content, and telecommunications laws.

Advised a leading video and social content creation app on matters including their trade mark portfolios in the region and handling IP disputes, cancellation, opposition and different type of legal proceedings.

Advised on NDAs, data protection, transactions, compliance and other legal compliance to many multinational entities that require IP and tech support in the region.

Advised on complex patent cases and patent prosecution formalities in the UAE and elsewhere in the region.

Represented numerous clients on complex and routine IP and media disputes in the region, including standard trade mark disputes, copyright conflict and media/defamation cases.