HGF Strengthens Life Sciences Patent Practice with Russell Thom from Murgitroyd

HGF has announced the addition of Russell Thom as a partner in its life sciences practice, effective 1 August 2024. Thom joins the firm from Scottish intellectual property firm Murgitroyd, where he spent nearly 26 years developing a distinguished career in patent law.

Thom began his career at Murgitroyd in Glasgow in October 2000. He qualified as both a European patent attorney and a chartered UK patent attorney. In 2008, he was appointed director of patents and subsequently led Murgitroyd’s chemistry and life sciences group as well as its risk group during the period when the firm was publicly listed. Following Murgitroyd’s acquisition by private equity in 2019, Thom served as UK regional head and later as managing director of the patents group.

His technical expertise focuses on biotechnology, with particular strengths in synthetic biology, nucleic acid sequencing, and peptide- and nucleic acid-based therapeutics. Thom also advises on diagnostic assays and medical devices. He holds a degree in medical biochemistry from the University of Glasgow and earned a PhD in protein structure determination. Additionally, he completed the CEIPI Master of Intellectual Property Law and Management.

Kate Taylor, head of life sciences at HGF, highlighted Thom’s extensive experience, noting, “He brings more than 25 years’ experience providing strategic intellectual property advice to life sciences clients, together with a reputation for delivering pragmatic, commercially focused advice across a broad range of technologies.”

Thom’s appointment is part of HGF’s broader European growth strategy following private equity investment in 2024. Earlier in the year, HGF expanded its life sciences team with two partners possessing in-house backgrounds: Frédéric Didelon joined the Basel office from Novartis after nearly 18 years, and Fergus Manford joined the Bristol office from Leyden Labs, bringing over two decades of biotech sector experience.

In addition to life sciences hires, HGF strengthened its technology and engineering practice with patent attorney Oliver Pooley joining the Birmingham office from Barker Brettell in April 2024. The London chemistry and pharmaceutical group also grew with Garreth Duncan’s arrival from D Young & Co. In September 2024, HGF further expanded its continental European footprint by adding two partners in Paris and one in Munich.

Currently, HGF employs over 100 patent attorneys, with more than 50 qualified as representatives before the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The firm operates from 25 offices across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria.

HGF’s client portfolio includes major corporations such as Fujifilm, Intel, Philip Morris, Samsung Electronics, and Syngenta. The firm regularly handles European Patent Office (EPO) oppositions and patent infringement and nullity proceedings before civil courts. Notably, HGF represented Philip Morris in an EPO opposition related to heat-not-burn technology and acted as a straw man in an opposition concerning CRISPR/Cas patents. The firm was also involved in the Xarelto litigation, representing Amarox/Hetero Lab against Bayer.

At the UPC, patent attorney Bernhard Ganahl, alongside lawyers from Krieger Mes, has represented Expert Klein and Expert e-commerce in two disputes with Seoul Viosys, which progressed from the Düsseldorf local division to the Court of Appeal.

Murgitroyd, Thom’s former firm, describes itself as a full-service IP firm advising on patents, trademarks, and design rights. Founded in Glasgow in 1975, it now maintains a network of 21 offices, including ten in the UK and others across France, Germany, and Italy, with additional support offices in China and Central America.

Following Thom’s departure, Murgitroyd appointed Barry Moore as managing director of its patents practice in March 2024. Moore is a qualified European patent attorney and Irish patent and trademark attorney with a background in physics. Murgitroyd’s pan-European patent team comprises approximately 150 professionals, including several UPC representatives.