Declan is head of the firm’s London Office and National TMT practice, which he established in Birmingham in 2005 through key strategic recruits. That team now has specialists in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham. He has specialised in IP, particularly brand protection, for over 20 years and taught the subject at degree level before moving to private practice. Declan is now London-based and works nationally with the team across the firm’s Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester offices.
In 2019, World Trademark Review 1000 identified Declan as a Top Trademark Professional in the UK, and described him as a “rigorous commercial operator and skilled business partner who represents excellent value for money.” Legal 500 (Intellectual Property) 2021 recognises him as a leading individual and clients praised that he is “a wise team head who brings out the best in people”. Declan has also been recognised consecutively and most recently in 2019/2020 by Managing Intellectual Property Magazine as an IP Star.
Prior to joining Browne Jacobson, Declan was European IP Counsel for Molson Coors and has therefore seen life from both sides of the fence. As a result clients value his commercial insight and advice on strategic brands issues. This has assisted him in his role as the relationship partner for a large number of the firm’s key brands clients, including Bestseller (Vero Moda and Jack Jones in the UK), Aston Martin Lagonda and Camelot. In 2021’s Legal 500 a client said …”he understands the needs of our business as it grows extremely well”.
International brands such as Mace regularly rely on Declan’s guidance in relation to their global brand portfolios. Responsible also for the retainer relationships the firm has with a number of the firm’s international brand clients and consistent with these international responsibilities, Declan spent time earlier in his career working within the IP team of a leading New York law firm. He has a master’s degree specialising in trade mark law, has published articles in Intellectual Property Review and European Intellectual Property Review, and has spoken on trade mark and licensing issues at conferences for the Licensing Executives Society and Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys. With Browne Jacobson he also co-founded Pangea Net, an international network of independent law firms built on authentic relationships, spending time as the chairman of the network and growing the membership. Declan expanded these collaborative relationships to better service clients’ intellectual property protection and enforcement worldwide.
Year Joined Firm: 2005
Education/Alumni: Bristol University, 1992
Network Memberships: Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA); International Trade Mark Association (ITMA); Intellectual Property Lawyers Organisation (TIPLO).
Last updated 29 April 2021
