Former CITMA president joins Mewburn Ellis

Kate O’Rourke, a former president of the UK Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA), has joined Mewburn Ellis to lead the firm’s European trademark practice.

O’Rourke, who previously served as senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, will join Mewburn Ellis’s London office on April 1, 2019.

Her tenure as CITMA president saw her  deeply involved in negotiations with the UK government on the implications of Brexit on trademarks and designs.

Having served at Charles Russell Speechlys for more than a decade, O’Rourke has led the firm’s trademark registration and protection team for more than five years.

She is vice chair of the International Trademark Association’s pro bono committee and was awarded a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (a British order of chivalry) in 2016 for services to education.

Trademark work grew strongly at Mewburn Ellis throughout 2018, with lateral hires at partner level helping to deliver 17% fee-income growth in the last 12 months.

O’Rourke said: “Mewburn Ellis has a reputation for excellence that cuts across the entire IP community. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help drive the firm’s ambitious plans to expand its high-quality trademark services still further.”

Joanna Cripps, partner at Mewburn Ellis, added that O’Rourke’s arrival “could not send a bolder statement to the market” about the firm’s intent to offer the best trademark services available in Europe.

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