Chris Thornham

Chris is an award-winning lawyer specialising in patents and technical disputes. He works with clients across the life sciences, engineering, and telecoms sectors.

He advises clients on freedom to operate, product launch, patent litigation, and licensing strategies including FRAND licence disputes. He's acted in over 20 English patent trials and appeals, as well as numerous arbitration cases.

Chris advises on strategy and the coordination of multi-jurisdictional patent advice and litigation. He helps clients win infringement/validity disputes and to navigate through the remedies and relief available including interim and final injunctions, financial compensation claims, destruction of infringing products, modification of products, court declarations, publicity orders and costs awards.

Chris has a strong background in natural sciences and multi-jurisdictional patent disputes. Before practising law, Chris graduated with a degree in natural sciences, specialising in experimental physics. In his early career, he also gained experience working in Washington DC and California.

He speaks and writes regularly on patent issues.

CV

Since 2011 Partner, Taylor Wessing

2005 - 2011 Lawyer, London law firm

2002 Working in the US, gaining patent practice

Career

Since 2011 Partner, Taylor Wessing

2005 - 2011 Lawyer, London law firm

2002 Working in the US, gaining patent practice

Education

1996 Diploma, IP Law

1996 Admitted to the Bar, England and Wales

1993 Called to the Bar, England and Wales

Publications

Chris is a regular invited speaker and author on patent issues
Chris is a contributory author of the book Global Patent Litigation, How and Where to Win, 2nd edition, ISBN978-1-61746-643-4

Memberships & Associations

AIPPI, UK
CIPA, Associate Member, Advisory Board of Informa's Intellectual Property Magazine

Additional languages

Awards

Managing Intellectual Property – IP Stars 2024

Featured

Legal 500 UK 2022

Who's Who Legal 2019

Chambers UK 2018

Experience

Acting on a multi-million pound arbitration claim

A medical research organisation in a multi-million pound arbitration claim against a Japanese pharmaceutical company, seeking royalties due on the sales of a blockbuster drug resulting from an R&D collaboration between the parties.

Laurence Lieberman

Chris Thornham

Tasmina Goraya, PhD

Gemma Broughall