DWF has appointed Imogen Francis as a director and head of its UK intellectual property team, bolstering its offering in key growth areas including consumer, technology and life sciences. Based in Birmingham, she will lead the firm’s non-contentious IP practice and work with colleagues across its international network to support clients developing and commercialising intellectual property.
Francis joins from Harper James and brings more than 13 years’ experience advising on complex non-contentious IP matters, particularly in innovation, research and development and technology commercialisation. She has worked with a broad client base ranging from start-ups and universities to multinational companies, advising across sectors including energy, retail and sports, as well as technology and life sciences.
Her experience spans the full product lifecycle, including brand protection, licensing, technology transfer, joint ventures and R&D agreements, alongside regulatory advice for pharmaceutical clients and cross-border software and licensing work. At DWF, she will focus on growing the firm’s non-contentious IP offering while collaborating closely with contentious specialists.
Commenting on her move, Francis said: ‘I’m delighted to be joining DWF… to drive the firm’s UK IP practice forward,’ adding that the firm’s global platform offers ‘a great opportunity to support clients as they develop and commercialise innovative technologies’. Global head of commercial, regulatory and data Wayne Lawrence said her appointment ‘further strengthens our intellectual property capability’ and that she ‘will play a key role in developing our non-contentious IP offering’.
