D Young & Co
Firm overview:
D Young & Co is a pan-European IP firm renowned for its strong non-contentious trademark practice. Beyond its filing reputation, the firm now manages a significant volume of disputes, having integrated its prosecution and litigation teams to handle global portfolios. Clients receive end-to-end support, including clearance and registry representation, while the firm’s German presence ensures robust European coverage post-Brexit. Perhaps not unexpectedly, the firm’s status as an attorney firm with a booming litigation practice draws some critique from the market, but nevertheless peers acknowledge that D Young & Co is “excellent” and “deserves” to be up in the top tier for its high quality work.
Team overview:
D Young & Co’s trademark team is located across all three of the firm’s offices in London, Southampton and Munich.
Tamsin Holman heads up the trademark group at D Young & Co, and has been practising contentious IP for over 20 years. Described by a peer as an “excellent attorney”, she leads teams that handle multinational IP disputes on behalf of clients with global brand-related legal needs.
Experienced partner Matthew Dick specialises in brand-related law and litigation, with a particular focus on trademarks and designs. A client appreciates his clear, straightforward advice and says he is “very knowledgeable about UK law and EU as well”, in addition to being “very engaging, friendly to talk to”.
Partner and solicitor Anna Reid handles high-stakes IP cases involving trademarks, copyright, designs and more. Her clients include Skechers, The Shard and Marriott Hotels.
In London, senior associate and solicitor Peter Byrd advises businesses on how best to protect their brands and handles related disputes for clients in sectors including fashion, retail, food and drink, pharmaceuticals, entertainment, and technology.
In response to its increasing trademark workload, D Young & Co has made a number of new hires over the past year including partner Oscar Webb, who joined from CMS and focuses his practice on brand protection and soft IP disputes. Charlotte Duly, former head of brand protection at Charles Russell Speechlys, joined in June 2025.
Key matters:
- Defiant Ones: UKIPO trademark matters
D Young & Co has handled filing, opposition and contentious matters for Defiant Ones—owned by music artists and entrepreneurs Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg—for the past three years.
Defiant Ones have launched beverage products in the UK including Still G.I.N and Gin&Juice. The firm is working to ensure that the client can continue pushing their products into the UK market.
- Wirtgen: Trademark matters and anti-counterfeiting
The team advises Wirtgen, a group of construction equipment manufacturers, on an assortment of trademark matters including UK trademark oppositions, responses to provisional refusals at the UKIPO and assignment/transfer work.
Recently, the work has included an anti-counterfeiting programme to assist customs officers with detecting counterfeit Wirtgen products at the UK border.
- Cosmetic Warriors (Lush): Global trademark portfolio management
A D Young & Co team led by Gemma Kirkland and Tamsin Holman are responsible for the global trademark portfolio for cosmetics brand Lush spanning over 75 countries, as well as handling enforcement matters worldwide.
Clients:
Akzonobel (Dulux, Hammerite, Cuprinol), American Eagle, Cosmetic Warriors (Lush), Exxon Mobil, Frasers Property, Marriott International, Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Skechers, Teva Europe, The Dow Chemical Company
