Leaders 2026

Meet the leading IP legal experts in more than 80 countries and six continents

Welcome to WIPR Leaders 2026 - the definitive guide to the world’s  IP practitioners. The list is aimed at providing a trusted resource for leading in-house and referral lawyers to identify reliable lawyers who can advise on their most significant IP matters.

Spanning eighty countries and six continents, this year’s list celebrates the individuals and firms who are leaders in their areas of IP. Many of these lawyers are at the forefront of shaping the future of intellectual property legal practice.

Inclusion in WIPR Leaders is the gateway to a trusted global community of quality IP lawyers. Entry to this community is based on peer-to-peer recognition—the gold standard of credible rankings—alongside the Rankings team’s assessment of each lawyer’s credentials.

This year, we are launching an evolution. WIPR Leaders 2026 is now a dynamic, 12-month programme. We will review and add exceptional practitioners year-round, ensuring our directory reflects the industry’s top talent in real-time. Our next chapter will include using Leaders as our own “Mini-Rankings” for up-and-coming jurisdictions, providing vital visibility to the world’s most exciting new IP hubs.

If you would like to help shape the development of the Leaders list in your country, or any other aspect of our research, contact WiPR Rankings editor, Baron Armah-Kwantreng, to arrange a research interview at barmah-kwantreng@worldipreview.com.

Whether you need elite external counsel or a strategic global partner, WIPR Leaders 2026 is our essential, ever-evolving resource.