Marks & Clerk LLP

Marks & Clerk was founded in 1887 by George Croydon Marks who was joined in partnership by Dugald Clerk a year later.

Marks was a renowned engineer. As a colleague of Thomas Edison, he became a director of a number of record companies including Columbia and EMI. He was also a politician who, after a career as an elected Member of Parliament, was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Marks of Woolwich.

Clerk was the inventor of the two-stroke gas engine and spent many years developing the technology. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and a frequent expert witness in patent litigation. Clerk was made a Knight of the Realm in recognition of his services to science and technology.

With increasing professional demands, the founding partners concentrated more and more on intellectual property rather than general technical and engineering practice.

From its origins in Birmingham, Marks & Clerk rapidly expanded to other cities under the guidance of Clerk. Marks tended to focus on the development of the firm's extensive international reputation and business contacts. As early as 1911 the British press referred to Marks & Clerk as being "recognised as the greatest firm of its kind in the world".

London is the quintessential global city and this is reflected nowhere better than in its position as a hub for intellectual property. Located in the capital's legal district, close to the English courts where many leading IP trials are heard, our London office has significant experience in helping clients protect and maximise the value of their ideas. The office's European and Chartered (UK) Patent Attorneys and UK Solicitors have expertise across all technical disciplines and industries including electronics, telecommunications, software, life sciences (pharmaceuticals and biotechnology), chemicals, mechanical engineering, medical devices and clean technologies. Our European and UK Trade Mark Attorneys and UK Solicitors have extensive multi-national experience in brand selection and clearance, registration, portfolio management and enforcement. Our London office has a thriving domestic and international list of valued clients including multi-national corporations and SMEs that are either based in the capital or come to London for our specialist IP services. As well as offering patent, trade mark and design right protection services, our attorneys and lawyers (both solicitors and solicitor advocates) advise on IP-related litigation, licensing, due diligence and contracts. We have a long history of successfully managing our clients' diverse and complex portfolios of IP rights throughout the world. Our office also has strong links to many of the universities and science parks located in London and around the south east of England. This places our professionals at the source of local innovation.

Practice Areas	No. of Attorneys
Corporate	3
Corporate - M&A	2
Data Privacy	1
Intellectual Property - General	76
International Trade	2
IP	98
IP - Trademark/Copyright	25
Litigation	2
Litigation - General (consumer)	8