IP STARS 2020: The leading law firms for IP transactions

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

IP STARS 2020: The leading law firms for IP transactions

newran2.JPG

We have released the IP STARS 2020 rankings of the leading US and UK firms for IP-related transactions work

We are delighted to announce the publication of the IP STARS 2020 rankings of the leading UK and US law firms for IP transactions work. Read the rankings: United States and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland).

Our research analysts produced this year's rankings using the data obtained during the research period for the 2020 edition of IP STARS. We evaluated all the relevant law firms and their IP-related transactions work, especially legal advice on licensing and sale of IP rights. The IP advice/work can be standalone or part of corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and restructuring. We considered work in all sectors, bearing in mind that value and business activities vary from sector to sector. However, it is noteworthy that the vast majority of the law firms have considerable expertise in the life sciences and high technology sectors. Read more about the new rankings here.

This table concludes our results publication for the 2020 edition of IP STARS. All the firm and individual practitioner rankings for this year are now available on ipstars.com (use the regional drop-down menu to see all the rankings or use the search bar to check if a firm or practitioner is ranked).

The growth of the knowledge economy has led to an increasing awareness that IP is a business asset to exploit and not just a legal right to enforce. We hope that our rankings will assist those looking for specialist commercial IP advice.

Congratulations to all the firms and individuals ranked this year.

About IP STARS

IP STARS is the leading specialist guide to IP law firms and practitioners worldwide. The guide is an exclusive rankings publication: we do not rank all firms and individuals offering IP services.

Managing IP published its first legal directory in 1994 and rebranded it as IP STARS in 2013. The research for the guide covers a variety of IP practice areas and more than 70 jurisdictions, making it the most comprehensive and widely respected rankings publication in the IP industry. The IP STARS rankings are based on a weighted evaluation of information from different sources, including work data submitted by firms, independent research findings, and market feedback. Learn more about our methodology here.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Pantech counsel Shogo Matsunaga speaks exclusively to Managing IP about how his team proved Google’s unwillingness, and ultimately secured a landmark SEP settlement
New partners, including the firm’s first female head of a department, are eyeing a deeper focus on client understanding
Chunguang Hu of China PAT explains why his ‘insider’ experience as a patent examiner benefits clients and why he wants to debunk the myth that IP has limited value in China
Essenese Obhan shares his expansion plans and vision of creating a ‘one-stop shop’ for clients after Indian firms Obhan & Associates and Mason & Associates joined forces
From AI and the UPC to troublesome trademarks in China, experts name the IP trends likely to dominate 2026
Colm Murphy says he is keen to help clients navigate cross-border IP challenges in Europe
With 2025 behind us, US practitioners sit down with Managing IP to discuss the major IP moments from the year and what to expect in 2026
Large-scale transatlantic mergers will give US entities a strong foothold at the UPC, and could spark further fragmentation of European patent practices
This year’s most-read stories covered uncertainty at the USPTO, a potential boycott of a major international IP conference, rankings releases, and a contempt of court proceeding
The parties have agreed on a court-guided settlement covering Pantech’s entire SEP portfolio, marking a global first
Gift this article