What James & Wells does

James & Wells is a privately held New Zealand partnership specialising in intellectual property law, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Auckland with additional offices in Hamilton, Tauranga, Christchurch and Queenstown across New Zealand and in Brisbane and Melbourne in Australia. The firm offers a full-service IP practice covering 18 service lines including patents, trade marks, design registrations, copyright, trade secrets, IP valuation, anti-counterfeiting, IP searching, enforcement and dispute resolution, licensing and commercialisation, international filings, renewals and maintenance, IP strategy, plant variety rights, domain names, geographic indications, fair trade and IP training. Its attorneys include PhD-qualified scientists, former engineers and litigators with deep technical expertise across biotechnology, chemistry, physics, engineering, software, ICT, medical devices, mining and consumer products.

The firm serves a dual client base of large multinational corporations managing complex cross-border IP portfolios and early-stage innovators and SMEs requiring strategic IP protection, with notable named clients such as LG, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mondelez, Reckitt Benckiser, Specialized, Titleist, Just Jeans, Smiggle, Yealands, Open Country and Cookie Time. Revenue is generated through hourly fees, fixed fees and retainer arrangements across prosecution, disputes, enforcement, commercialisation and renewals, with services delivered via partner-led engagements and a dedicated International Filing Desk serving overseas clients seeking ANZ and Pacific Islands coverage.

James & Wells operates within a highly competitive ANZ IP market dominated by ASX-listed consolidators, and positions its privately held partnership structure and analyst-ranked expertise (Tier 1 in IP STARS 2026 and IAM Patent 1000 recognised) as core differentiators. Marketing is conducted through INTA, BIO and ILANZ conferences, thought-leadership content, professional association memberships (IPTA, NZIPA, AusBiotech) and sector partnerships including The Icehouse and the New Zealand Food Awards. The firm has executed targeted senior lateral hiring from Australia's largest IP firms to bolster its Melbourne and Brisbane presence, indicating a deliberate Australia-led expansion strategy.

Name

James & Wells

Legal name

James & Wells (comprising the partnerships of James & Wells Patent Attorneys and James & Wells Lawyers)

Website

https://jamesandwells.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

James & Wells is a privately held New Zealand-founded (1979) intellectual property law firm with seven offices across New Zealand and Australia, offering full-service patents, trade marks, disputes and commercialisation services to multinationals and start-ups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG), Copyright Services & Content Protection (BPAHAMAC), eDiscovery, Litigation Support & Legal Hold (BPAEAPAE)

Keywords

• Intellectual property law
• Patent prosecution services
• Trademark registration
• IP litigation
• IP strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal and IP Advisory Services: James & Wells generates revenue through professional legal services including patent prosecution and disputes, trademark registration and enforcement, litigation, IP strategy consulting, and licensing and commercialisation advisory. Services are billed through hourly rates, fixed fees for specific services, and retainer arrangements for ongoing portfolio management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

James & Wells is a full-service intellectual property law firm offering patent drafting and prosecution, trademark clearance, filing and enforcement, design registrations, copyright protection, IP searching, IP valuation, licensing and commercialisation, enforcement and dispute resolution, and international filings across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Services are delivered through partner-led engagements with technically qualified attorneys holding scientific and engineering backgrounds.

Product overview

James & Wells is a full-service intellectual property law firm offering a comprehensive suite of IP services. The firm operates as a unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core services include Patents, Trade Marks, Design Registrations, Copyright, Trade Secrets & Non-Disclosure, IP Valuation, Domain Names, Geographic Indications, Anti-counterfeiting, Fair Trade, Intellectual Property Searching, Enforcement & Dispute Resolution, Licensing & Commercialisation, International Filings, Renewals & Maintenance, Intellectual Property Strategy, Plant Variety Rights, and IP Training. The firm serves clients across Australia, New Zealand, and internationally, with expertise spanning multiple technology sectors including Life Sciences, Energy & Renewables, Creative Industries, Manufacturing & Engineering, Medical Devices, Software & ICT, and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patents Patent drafting, prosecution, and patentability assessments across Australia, New Zealand, and international jurisdictions. Includes freedom-to-operate analysis and patent opposition proceedings.
• Trade Marks Trade mark clearance searching, filing, prosecution, registration, and enforcement in Australia and New Zealand. Includes brand protection and portfolio management.
• Design Registrations Registration and protection of industrial designs in Australia, New Zealand, and internationally.
• Copyright Copyright protection, advice, and enforcement services.
• Trade Secrets & Non-Disclosure Advice on protecting trade secrets and drafting non-disclosure agreements.
• IP Valuation Assessment and valuation of intellectual property assets for commercial purposes.
• Domain Names Domain name registration, protection, and dispute resolution services.
• Geographic Indications Registration and protection of geographic indications for products with specific regional origins.
• Anti-counterfeiting Enforcement and anti-counterfeiting services to protect against IP infringement.
• Fair Trade Advice and enforcement related to Fair Trading Act compliance and misleading conduct.
• Intellectual Property Searching Comprehensive IP searching including patent searches, trademark clearance searches, and prior art searches.
• Enforcement & Dispute Resolution Litigation and dispute resolution services for IP enforcement in courts and tribunals.
• Licensing & Commercialisation IP licensing, commercialisation strategy, and commercial agreement drafting.
• International Filings Filing and prosecution of patent and trademark applications internationally and across the Pacific Islands.
• Renewals & Maintenance Ongoing maintenance and renewal of IP rights including patents, trademarks, and designs.
• Intellectual Property Strategy Strategic IP advice aligned with business objectives including portfolio management and commercialisation.
• Plant Variety Rights Protection and registration of plant varieties and plant breeder's rights.
• IP Training Training and capability building services for IP awareness and management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tier 1 rankings in IP STARS 2026 for Patent Prosecution, Patent Disputes, and Trade Mark Prosecution in New Zealand
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lion VenturesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 December 2019Collaborated with Lion Ventures for the Eats & Geeks annual food and beverage innovation event, showcasing virtual reality drink experiences and connecting with innovative Kiwi companies.
• The IcehousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2018James & Wells partnered with The Icehouse, New Zealand's SME business growth centre, to help businesses drive innovation and growth by protecting and leveraging their intellectual property assets. The partnership focuses on educating business owners and entrepreneurs on IP value and strategic use.
• New Zealand Food AwardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProud sponsor of the New Zealand Food Awards, supporting innovation in the food and beverage sector and connecting with manufacturers and producers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spruson & Ferguson: Leading Asia-Pacific IP firm (part of IPH Limited) offering patent and trade mark prosecution, IP litigation, and IP strategy. Direct peer in the Australasian full-service IP legal market.
• Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick: Australian IP firm providing patent, trade mark, and design services across all major IP disciplines. Directly comparable to James & Wells in scale, service breadth, and client mix.
• Shelston IP: Long-established Australian IP firm with patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys across all technology sectors. Closely comparable in practice mix and Australasian market focus.
• Baldwins Intellectual Property: New Zealand-headquartered IP firm (now part of IPH Limited) with offices across Australasia. The closest NZ-based direct peer to James & Wells, competing head-to-head for NZ patent and trade mark work.
• AJ Park: New Zealand IP firm (now part of IPH Limited) offering patent, trade mark, and design services. Direct NZ peer competing for the same multinational and start-up clients as James & Wells.
• FB Rice: Australian IP firm specialising in patent and trade mark prosecution with strong life sciences and ICT capabilities. Directly comparable as a full-service Australian IP practice.
• Griffith Hack: Major Australian full-service IP firm with patent, trade mark, and IP litigation practices. James & Wells partner Greg Munt was previously a Principal at Griffith Hack, evidencing direct talent overlap and competitive positioning.
• Davies Collison Cave: One of Australia's largest and oldest specialist IP law firms offering patent, trade mark, and litigation services. Directly comparable to James & Wells across all core IP services; multiple James & Wells partners (e.g., Dr. Andrew Scott) were previously at Davies Collison Cave.

Broad incumbents

• IPH Limited: ASX-listed parent company of multiple Australasian IP firms including Spruson & Ferguson, Griffith Hack, Shelston IP, AJ Park, and Baldwins. The dominant listed consolidator in the region and the structural competitive counterweight to privately-held James & Wells.

Regional players

• Wynn Williams: New Zealand commercial law firm with a recognised IP practice. Overlaps with James & Wells on IP disputes and commercial IP work in NZ, though broader in scope as a full-service commercial firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jaws_IP
• Facebookfacebook.com/107744736053147
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/501775

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about James & Wells