Rebecca Lawrence

Partner
Rebecca Lawrence is a very experienced and exceptional patent litigator. She is always on top of the procedural strategy required for the case and advancing the client’s strategic goals.
Legal 500, 2023
About

Rebecca Lawrence is a patent litigator with over 20 years’ experience litigating multi-jurisdictional, high value and technically complex actions in patent validity, infringement and entitlement.

With particular expertise in the life sciences sector, Rebecca’s background in biological sciences (MA Biological Sciences, Oxford University) enables her to get to the heart of technical patent issues and provide comprehensive advice. She has litigated numerous patents covering pharmaceutical and biotechnological inventions and medical devices. Her experience also covers a range of other technologies including electronics, telecoms, engineering, greentech and consumer goods.

In addition to litigating in the full range of courts and tribunals, from the UK IP Office, IP Enterprise Court, High Court and Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union, Rebecca also advises on managing risk and freedom to operate, providing opinions on patent validity and infringement. 
Rebecca has successfully liaised with the UK border control authority to secure the detention of patent infringing products at their point of entry into the UK.
Rebecca co-leads DLA Piper’s International Life Sciences Patent Litigation team. 

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Acting for numerous pharmaceutical companies in patent litigation relating to, for example, proton pump inhibitors, bronchodilators, chemotherapy, anti-psychotics and immunosuppressants. 
  • Acting for a major agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology company in a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute relating to genetically modified crops.  As part of this action, I worked with UK border control to secure the detention of a shipment of products derived from GM crops at its point of entry into the UK. 
  • Acting for a prestigious technology transfer company in a referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union on a question concerning the scope of a Supplementary Protection Certificate relating to chemotherapy.
  • Acting for a medical devices company in a patent dispute relating to breast implants. 
  • Representing a major global manufacturer of bar code scanning products in offensive and defensive multi-jurisdictional patent infringement and validity actions. 
  • Acting for one of the world’s leading companies in the wind energy industry in a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute relating to wind turbine technology.
  • Acting for a leading telecommunications and consumer electronics company in a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute relating to SIM card technology. 
  • Acting for an American technology company in a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute relating to set top box technology. 
  • Acting for a leading supplier of safety products in a patent infringement and validity action relating to access platforms.
  • Defending a leading supplier of building and engineering products in a patent infringement and validity action, under the High Court Shorter Trials Scheme.
Languages
  • English
Education
  • Bristol University, Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice, 2001
  • College of Law, Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Distinction), 1997
  • College of Law, Common Professional Examinations (Distinction), 1996


    Oxford University, MA in Biological Sciences (First Class), 1995

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Rebecca was a Partner at a Tier 1 boutique patent litigation law firm.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
  • Connect