Kirkland & Ellis

Firm overview:

Kirkland & Ellis has established itself among the market leaders for high-value patent litigation, combining an assertive litigation style with one of the profession’s most integrated transatlantic disputes platforms. The team is particularly known for handling high-profile pharmaceutical, biotechnology and standard-essential patent (SEP) disputes, while its growing Unified Patent Court (UPC) capability further strengthens an already formidable European offering.

Team overview:

The team is built for disputes where scale, speed and cross-border coordination are critical. Nicola Dagg, Oscar Robinson and Daniel Lim are key figures within a practice that covers life sciences, telecommunications and technology litigation.

A peer describes Dagg’s practice as “leading in the licence space in terms of patent litigation”. Her willingness to challenge established legal principles, combined with deep scientific understanding and international strategic vision, continues to distinguish her among the UK’s elite patent litigators.

Robinson has become an increasingly prominent figure in cross-border patent litigation, advising clients on complex FRAND, life sciences and telecommunications disputes.

Lim combines technical expertise with experience in multi-jurisdictional patent litigation. His practice spans pharmaceuticals, engineering and advanced technologies, and he supports multinational clients on strategically important disputes requiring coordinated European litigation and commercially informed legal advice.

Kirkland added to its UK team in June 2026 with the arrival of partner Tim Austen, a highly experienced IP litigator who spent 15 years as a barrister at 3 New Square chambers.

On the departure side, Jin Ooi left for Finnegan after almost eight years at Kirkland; he is known for his work on major pharma patent disputes and landmark SEP cases.