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Key contacts
Head of Biotechnology and Life Science : Dr Nina White
Head of Chemicals and Materials : Rohan Setna
Head of Engineering and Designs : Neil Thomson
Head of High Tech and Electrical : Dr Jonathan Palmer
Head of Trade Mark and Domain Names : Rachel Conroy
Quick facts
Firm - Year of Establishment

1894

Number of Partners

43

Total Number of IP Practitioners

96

Languages Spoken at the Firm

English, German, Spanish

Network Memberships

CIPA, CITMA, AIPPI, INTA, APAA, AIPLA, ABA, ECTA, Marques, PTMG, FICPI, LES and IP INCLUSIVE

Key practice areas
Intellectual property
Trade mark
Patent
Designs
Patent prosecution - patent & trade mark attorney firms
Firm overview

Boult is a top-tier European firm specialising in IP advice and solutions for both domestic and international clients. Our focus is on delivering a quality work product, understanding our client’s markets, and making sound judgements – values we have upheld since our establishment in 1894. With experts located in the UK, Germany, and Spain, we collaborate seamlessly to provide IP expertise and commercial knowledge, enabling our clients to achieve their business goals. We foster cross-team and cross-border collaboration, encouraging the exchange of ideas and information amongst our staff. What keeps our team together is our dedication to delivering excellent service to clients through a practical problem-solving approach. We excel at what we do, with many of our professionals being leaders in their respective fields. We possess a genuine passion for guiding clients through every aspect of their IP journey, from exploitation and protection to commercial use, infringement, or disputes. We offer creative yet pragmatic advice, a high degree of professional excellence, and unwavering commitment to our clients.

Services

  • Trade marks – Our highly skilled experts are experienced negotiators and have particular expertise in the management of large portfolios; searching and watching; domain name recovery; and trading standards and customs work.
  • Patents – Our European, UK and German experts advise on the creation, exploitation and enforcement of IP rights across a wide range of sectors. They provide creative IP solutions and outstanding client service.
  • Designs – The team can advise clients across a wide range of industries on matters of design law and practice. They combine their commercial knowledge with legal expertise to provide high quality advice that is always pragmatic.
  • Global plant breeders’ rights and national listings – The team supports horticultural and biopharma clients, has significant experience in UK plant breeders’ rights, can assist clients in obtaining rights across Europe and offers advice on infringement risks associated with rights held by third parties.
    Responsible business

Boult is proud to call itself a responsible business. It’s a facet of our business that we take very seriously, making commercial decisions which do not solely boost our bottom line, but deliver real benefits to our people. Our internal culture and our wellbeing is really important to us, but we are equally focussed upon improving the wider community at home and abroad. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, promote sustainable practices, and have a clear sense of purpose. We are committed to making a positive impact in our industry, on society and the environment.

To find out more about how Boult can help your business, contact us, or sign up to our mailing list, visit our website (www.boult.com).

ESG and diversity achievement

At Boult we believe in being inclusive and creating a working environment where everyone can comfortably be themselves. Attracting, developing and retaining a diverse team and creating an inclusive culture where people feel valued and included is extremely important to us and something we work hard to achieve. Through our collective action we have achieved tangible change and made a positive impact on our culture, and we will continue to do so.

In 2021 we worked with Focal Point, an organisation dedicated to helping workplaces become more respectful and inclusive environments, to create a staff survey to understand what our people thought about our culture, and equality, diversity and inclusion at Boult. We wanted to take stock of where we were and where we wanted to go. We were able to use these findings to help us develop a fresh approach to and perspective on equality, diversity and inclusion.

During 2022 we created an EDI strategy. We revised policies and recruitment procedures, held leadership courses and changed our flexible working arrangements to ensure our approach encouraged diversity and valued differences. Since then, we have run educational sessions to raise staff awareness of unconscious bias and neurodiversity, to understand and engage with those issues. We have taken proactive steps to address EDI concerns in our industry and beyond, joining supportive networks and organisations such as WorkLife Central, IP Inclusive, and the General Counsel for Diversity & Inclusion (GCD&I). We have also signed charters and made commitments to organisations whose values we share such as the IP Inclusive Charter, the IP Inclusive Senior Leadership Pledge.

Practice Areas & Sector Specialisations

Key IP Areas

Copyright & related rights, Designs, Intellectual property (prosecution), IP transactions, Life sciences IP, Patent, Patent prosecution, Trade mark, Trade mark prosecution

Key Sector Expertise

Aerospace, Agriculture, Artificial intelligence, Arts, Automotive, Biotechnology, Chemical, Computer technology & services, Construction & materials, Defence, E-commerce, Electrical, Electronics, Fashion & luxury goods, Film, Financial services, FMCG, Food & beverage, Gaming, Hospitality & leisure, ICT & software, Industrials, Internet, Life sciences, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Media, Medical device, Mining, Music, Nanotechnology, Oil & gas, Optics & photonics, Pharmaceutical, Renewable energy, Retail, Robotics, Semiconductors, Sports, Technology hardware, Telecommunication, Transport, Universities & research

Address:
Salisbury Square House, 8 Salisbury Square
London EC4Y 8AP
Tel:+442074307500 Email:Contact Us Web Address:http://www.boult.com
2026 Edition
Patent prosecution - patent & trade mark attorney firms
Tier 1
30 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Barker Brettell
7 practice areas
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Boult Wade Tennant
5 practice areas
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Carpmaels & Ransford
13 practice areas
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D Young & Co
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Dehns
8 practice areas
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HGF
9 practice areas
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Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK)
8 practice areas
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J A Kemp
14 practice areas
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Kilburn & Strode
6 practice areas
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Mewburn Ellis
8 practice areas
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Potter Clarkson
10 practice areas
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Venner Shipley
9 practice areas
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Tier 2

EIP
7 practice areas
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Elkington + Fife
5 practice areas
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Gill Jennings & Every
5 practice areas
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Marks & Clerk
6 practice areas
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Mathys & Squire
8 practice areas
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Maucher Jenkins
5 practice areas
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Reddie & Grose
5 practice areas
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Withers & Rogers
5 practice areas
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Tier 3

Appleyard Lees
17 practice areas
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Greaves Brewster
6 practice areas
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Keltie
6 practice areas
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Murgitroyd
6 practice areas
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Wilson Gunn
5 practice areas
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Abel & Imray
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Beck Greener
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Hoffmann Eitle
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Schlich
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Slingsby Partners
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Trade mark prosecution - patent & trade mark attorney firms
Tier 1
30 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Barker Brettell
7 practice areas
View full profile
Boult Wade Tennant
5 practice areas
View full profile
D Young & Co
5 practice areas
View full profile
HGF
9 practice areas
View full profile
J A Kemp
14 practice areas
View full profile
Kilburn & Strode
6 practice areas
View full profile
Marks & Clerk
6 practice areas
View full profile
Potter Clarkson
10 practice areas
View full profile
Stobbs IP
6 practice areas
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Tier 2

Appleyard Lees
17 practice areas
View full profile
Cleveland Scott York
4 practice areas
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Dehns
8 practice areas
View profile
Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK)
8 practice areas
View profile
Keltie
6 practice areas
View profile
Maucher Jenkins
5 practice areas
View full profile
Mewburn Ellis
8 practice areas
View full profile
Murgitroyd
6 practice areas
View full profile
Venner Shipley
9 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Carpmaels & Ransford
13 practice areas
View full profile
Gill Jennings & Every
5 practice areas
View full profile
Mathys & Squire
8 practice areas
View full profile
Reddie & Grose
5 practice areas
View full profile
Wilson Gunn
5 practice areas
View profile
Withers & Rogers
5 practice areas
View full profile

Other Notable Firms

Abel & Imray
4 practice areas
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Abion
5 practice areas
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Beck Greener
7 practice areas
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Elkington + Fife
5 practice areas
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Forresters
7 practice areas
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Greaves Brewster
6 practice areas
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Overview

Boult Wade Tennant is highly recommended for IP protection and portfolio management. Market commentators respect the firm because of its experienced practitioners as well as its working culture, stability, and business strategy.

The firm has European patent attorneys to advise on inventions and patents in areas such as computer technology, renewable energy, mechanical engineering, medical devices, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Its trade mark team is highly regarded in the market.

Notable patent attorneys: Jonathan Palmer, James Legg, Michelle Pratt, Nina White, Alex Frost, Simon Kahn, Neil Thomson, Daryl Penny, Matt Spencer, Daniel Weston, and Rohan Setna.

Notable trade mark attorneys: Rachel Conroy, Emma Pitcher, Catherine Wolfe, and Felicity Hide.

Testimonials

2026

"Strong technical understanding of our sector and the commercial context behind the disputes, particularly in relation to competitor activity. They provide clear, structured advice on options rather than just legal theory, which helps internal decision making. Good at explaining complex positions in plain English and aligning litigation strategy with business risk."

"Consistent and reliable handling of filings and prosecution across multiple jurisdictions.  Good awareness of our portfolio and how different families link together, particularly around divisionals and future protection strategy. Clear reporting and updates, with practical guidance on likely outcomes and next steps. Generally excellent quality drafting and amendments that reflect the underlying engineering concepts."

"Strong at translating technical innovation into protectable IP and identifying where value sits. Really impressed with Matt Ridleys ability to understand and translate my descriptions into drafts. Helpful in shaping strategy across patents, oppositions, and competitor positioning. Good support on freedom to operate thinking and risk framing, particularly where there is uncertainty. Willing to engage in discussion rather than just provide static advice, which works well for an evolving programmes."

"Costs and timelines are always clear from the outset and reporting is good, only providing updates when there is something to report."

"Advice is always considered, comprehensive with every option covered and explained, and they always make it clear how their conclusions on their advice has been reached."

"They have handled many disputes for my clients over the last nearly 20 years and I wouldn't hesitate to use them for the most complex of trademark disputes, especially those covering multiple jurisdictions. Boult Wade is a strategically sophisticated firm with a deep bench of trademark expertise. They consistently provide practical, business‑focused advice. We rely on them heavily for complex local trademark matters and value their judgment and reliability."

"Boult Wade is a go‑to trademark firm for our clients in the UK and throughout the EU. They deliver thorough, strategically sound advice that is grounded in a deep understanding of local trademark law. Importantly, their guidance is always practical and aligned with our clients’ commercial objectives, making them easy to work with and highly effective. I trust them completely with our clients’ most important trademark prosecution matters."

"I consider Boult Wade to be one of the strongest trademark practices in the UK and Europe generally. Their team combines deep trademark and design expertise with a highly strategic approach, and they consistently provide clear, practical advice that anticipates issues before they arise. They are easy to collaborate with across time zones and excel at guiding complex trademark matters efficiently and effectively."

"Boult provides excellent strategic advice on filing and prosecution matters and are a very reliable extended part of our in-house patent team."

Matthew Ridley

"Matthew has a strong ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, structured patent strategies, particularly in areas involving automation and sensor-driven systems. He provides well-reasoned advice on prosecution and oppositions, and is effective at explaining the implications of examiner feedback and competitor activity in a practical, business-relevant way. He is also responsive and reliable, with good attention to detail and consistency across multiple matters, which is important given the scale and complexity of our portfolio."

Henry Schlaefli

"Henry is professional, polite, courteous and consistent. No request is ever too onerous and he is eager to oblige our client wishes, even making himself available when he is on leave (for time-sensitive, urgent matters)."

Katharina Barker

"Katharina is a trusted advisor for our trademark work in the UK. She brings excellent strategic judgment, deep trademark expertise, and a pragmatic approach to every matter. Her responsiveness and ability to explain complex local issues in a clear, business‑focused way makes her invaluable to both our firm and our clients."

Simon Kahn

"Simon has an in-depth knowledge of the technology and is able to tease out information from the inventors in a way that attorneys not as well versed in the subject matter would struggle to do. He is also an excellent strategic advisor and adds immense value whenever he handles a case."

 

2025

"[We have a] 10-year-plus relationship [with a] record of successful enforcement, integrity and responsiveness. Top-tier subject matter expertise and keen commercial sense."

"I chose them because I have complete confidence in them."

"They are simply the best at what they do."

"Boult is one of the leading firms in the UK for prosecution. No gimmicks, no sales pitch, just really consistently excellent. I know that if I send a client to Boult, I can trust them to provide sensible and pragmatic advice, not sit on the fence with what to do, and to do so in a cost-effective manner."

"High level of professionalism and always having the client needs as a priority."

"Boult Wade Tennant is a firm of dedicated IP professionals who put client care at the forefront of what they do. The trade mark team has a family feel, where no client request is too much for them to deliver on, and they will go to great lengths to ensure that clients are happy.

"The advice they provide is considered, comprehensive and practical, taking various factors into account and often providing clients with various options to tackle the matter at hand, to best suit the client and their budget."

"Very bright, knowledgeable, pragmatic, and responsive. Team players."

"[I like their] judgement, knowledge, teamwork and respect for clients."

"[They are] friendly, down-to-earth, pragmatic and very experienced."

"They are unfailingly able, collegial, knowledgeable and thoughtful."

"The whole team at Boult is excellent."

"Boult Wade has an extensive team of trademark professionals with a deep knowledge of UK and EU trademark law. They consistently provide sage advice that clients appreciate. They are a good value for clients."

"We have had exceptional service from the Boult team over the last 4 years in growing and defending our IP. The team (James Legg, Olga Bohuszewicz and Rosie Murray) have been instrumental in fostering our ever-expanding IP portfolio and securing robust protection of our innovation. The team are an extension of [our company] and are a true pleasure to work with."

"We have used [the firm] for many years and have always been pleased with the services they provide."

"They keep the highest standards and quality of services. They care about their customers and are enormously professional, not only showing their expertise in the IP area but also presenting a very high level of business acumen and strategic thinking. They are a great partner."

"I think 'completeness' is the best word [to use about Boult Wade Tennant]. They will offer simple advice all the way from building and registering marks to defending and [dealing with] infringements."

"The service is timely and reasonably priced."

"They are practical. They give good advice. They do not need much instruction."

 

2023

"We like the open challenging approach. We find their systems efficient. We appreciate the customer-focused way in which they operate and have maintained long-term relationships."

"We appreciate the very good technical understanding and business-oriented approach from the lead attorneys (partners). They have a very good client-oriented approach and ability to work on short timelines whilst maintaining their high quality of work."

"I like the attorneys and the way they manage our work, inspiring confidence. They are sensitive to our requirements and provide commercial solutions in line with our needs."

"Of paramount importance to us is excellent strategic advice and Boult Wade Tennant does a fantastic job of providing just that. Next, is probably cost and coming within budget and Boult Wade has no problem providing excellent services within budget. The practitioners at Boult Wade are also just good people that are enjoyable to work with.

"They don't mind hopping on a call to discuss complex matters that are more easily and efficiently discussed on a call. They also understand the business concerns and make recommendations that are well-reasoned from both the legal and business perspective. We also appreciate that Boult Wade operates in the EU and their offices work together really well."

"Their advice and strategy are always commercially focused. They help us achieve our objectives and this goes beyond strictly legal advice."

"They are very knowledgeable, very collegial and have a good manner with clients. I think they are at the top of the tree."

Michael Maier

"Michael Maier is an excellent attorney in their German office, who can quickly distil and assess trademark matters in a manner that leads to an excellent solution of pending disputes."

 

2021

A brand owner said: “The firm is excellent and provides a first-class service. [Their] advice is clear, easily digestible, and well thought out. They are also willing to collaborate with us using digital tools.”

Another client commended the firm’s “detailed and flexible approach”, adding: “They really understand our business and needs.”

 

2020

A long-standing client values the firm’s “prompt feedback, constructive advice and swift action”.

Another loyal client said: “We continue to use Boult Wade Tennant due to the brilliant service. The excellent [trade mark] team articulates the detail and complexities surrounding trade mark issues with the utmost precision and include a few humorous analogies along the way. They make the world of IP come across as very interesting.”

Linked Reviews
Designs

Case studies show patent attorneys Matthew Ridley and Neil Thomson leading on many of the firm’s design mandates, including filing.

Trade mark

In mainland Europe, Henning Erb leads its Frankfurt office, from which the firm offers its new European trade mark litigation service, and IP lawyer Álvaro Cabeza oversees its Madrid office.

Case studies show trade mark protection, portfolio management, and UK IPO and EUIPO proceedings work for brand owners in several sectors. For example, the firm dealt with trade mark office proceedings for companies such as Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, Bauer Radio, Trayport, and Audiokinetic. Other trade mark clients include Vodafone Group, Eicher Motors, and Caprice Holdings.

Patent

Patent case studies show patent protection, EPO proceedings and litigation support work. Clients include Move AI, Abbott Laboratories, 4basebio, tepeo, Johnson Matthey, and Plastic Energy. Daryl Penny was involved in Abbott’s UPC litigation against Dexcom. European patent attorney Tony Pluckrose, who also deals with trade mark work, is now a consultant in the firm. 

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