What Abel & Imray does

Abel & Imray is a London-headquartered firm of patent and trade mark attorneys founded in 1871, structured as a UK Limited Liability Partnership (Abel & Imray LLP, company number OC438716). The firm provides intellectual property services across patents, trade marks, designs, copyright, and IP strategy (including audits, due diligence, portfolio management, and transactions), with attorneys qualified to practise before the UKIPO, EPO, UPC, and EUIPO. It operates from four offices — London (HQ), Bath, Cardiff, and Delft (Netherlands) — and serves clients in sectors including aerospace, automotive, battery technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, renewable energy, defence, software, and consumer electronics.

The firm's revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees, with pricing quoted per matter and not publicly disclosed. Its client mix is segmented across multinational corporations, growing SMEs and start-ups, in-house corporate IP departments, and investors requiring IP due diligence. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: the firm acquires clients through industry event participation (INTA, Marques, AIPPI, FICPI, BioWales, MediWales), professional referrals, partnerships with deep-tech incubators (Science Creates, iCAST), and an investor-education partnership with Empirical Ventures. Marketing channels include specialist newsletters, free IP guides, social media, and free 15-minute brand-protection consultations at events.

Operationally, the firm is led by Managing Partner Caroline Brooks (appointed April 2025) with a partnership bench of at least ten equity partners plus Of Counsel, Senior Associates, Associates, and part-qualified attorneys. Notable internal credentials include PhD-level scientific training among partners and CEIPI Diplomas on Patent Litigation in Europe. The firm is independently owned, with no parent company, external investors, or M&A activity disclosed, and revenue is not publicly reported as the partnership is private.

Name

Abel & Imray

Legal name

Abel & Imray LLP

Website

https://abelimray.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Abel & Imray is a London-headquartered firm of patent and trade mark attorneys (founded 1871) providing IP prosecution, litigation, and strategy services from offices in London, Bath, Cardiff, and Delft to multinationals, SMEs, start-ups, and investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI)

Keywords

• Patent prosecution services
• Trade mark protection
• Intellectual property law
• Design rights registration
• IP strategy advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Patent Prosecution and Litigation: Fees for drafting and prosecuting patent applications, EPO oppositions, and patent litigation services before UKIPO, EPO, and UPC.
2. Trade Mark Services: Fees for trade mark filing, prosecution, opposition, enforcement, clearance searches, and domain name management.
3. Design Rights Services: Fees for registered and unregistered design rights protection, including filing and prosecution.
4. IP Strategy and Advisory: Fees for IP audits, due diligence, portfolio management, transactions, and strategic consulting services for investors and in-house IP departments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Abel & Imray is a firm of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys providing intellectual property legal services. The firm drafts and prosecutes patent applications, handles EPO oppositions, UPC/Unitary Patent matters and supplementary protection certificates, and conducts patent litigation. It files and prosecutes trade marks, manages oppositions, enforcement, clearance and trade mark watches, and registers and advises on registered and unregistered design rights and copyright. The firm additionally delivers IP strategy services including IP audits, due diligence, portfolio management and transactions for investors and in-house IP departments.

Product overview

Abel + Imray is a firm of patent and trade mark attorneys offering professional intellectual property services. Their core offering comprises Patents (drafting, filing, EPO opposition, restorations, freedom to operate, patent landscaping, Patent Box, Unitary Patent/UPC, SPC), Trade Marks (filing, prosecution, opposition, enforcement, clearance, watches, domain names), Designs (registered and unregistered rights), Copyright advisory, and Intellectual Property Strategy (IP audits, due diligence, portfolio management, transactions). Additional services target specific client segments including Investors, International Associates, and In-house IP departments. The firm operates across multiple sectors including aerospace, automotive, battery technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. They do not offer a technology product; their offering is purely professional services delivered by qualified attorneys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patents Comprehensive patent services for individuals, SMEs and multinational clients: drafting new applications; filing applications and taking them to grant; EPO opposition, revocation and appeals; restorations; freedom to operate; patent landscaping; Patent Box advisory; Unitary Patent and UPC practice; and supplementary protection certificates (SPC). Representation before UKIPO, EPO and UPC.
• Trade Marks Trade mark protection services for brand owners: filing and prosecution; opposition; enforcement; clearance and freedom to use (FTO); trade mark watches; and domain name management. Representation before UKIPO, EUIPO and international offices.
• Designs Design protection services covering guide to registered designs, registered design rights and unregistered design rights for clients across consumer products, industrial design and creative industries.
• Copyright Copyright advisory service providing overview and guidance on copyright protection for content owners and brand owners.
• Intellectual Property Strategy Strategic IP services for corporate clients: IP audits; due diligence for transactions and investments; portfolio management; and IP transactions work.
• Investors Specialist IP services tailored for investors and venture capital firms evaluating the IP position of companies seeking investment, including due diligence on patent and trade mark portfolios.
• In-house IP Departments Support services for corporate in-house IP departments, including overflow capacity, specialist sector representation and secondment arrangements.
• International Associates Coordination and management of international IP associates for clients requiring global portfolio protection across multiple jurisdictions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 years of protecting client ideas and innovations

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Science CreatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing IP workshops and drop-in clinics to support early-stage science and technology companies in the Science Creates incubator in Bristol.
• Innovation Centre for Applied and Sustainable Technologies (iCAST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing IP workshops and drop-in clinics to support early-stage companies in Swindon through the iCAST innovation centre.
• Empirical VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment group partnership helping investors better understand the IP position of companies seeking investment. Tom Turner leads this partnership.
• Make UK DefenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for webinar on Exporting: Protecting your brands, planned for February 2026.
• BioWalesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAbel + Imray supports BioWales events, with Lindsey Kent chairing the Investor panel at BioWales in London 2025.
• MediWalesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAbel + Imray participates in and exhibits at MediWales events for the healthcare and medical technology sector in Wales.
• IP InclusiveminorOthersEarly signatory to IP Inclusive scheme, committing to improving diversity and inclusivity within the firm and across the wider legal and IP community.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marks & Clerk: Largest UK-headquartered firm of patent and trade mark attorneys, with global offices across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Direct competitor to Abel & Imray across patent prosecution, trade marks and IP strategy work.
• Mathys & Squire: Long-established UK patent and trade mark attorney firm with offices in London and other European cities. Closely comparable in service mix and client base to Abel & Imray.
• Kilburn & Strode: London-based firm of European patent and trade mark attorneys covering physics, electronics, chemistry and life sciences. Similar service offering and client profile to Abel & Imray.
• Carpmaels & Ransford: London-headquartered patent and trade mark attorney firm serving pharma, biotech and technology clients. Comparable in sector mix and high-end patent work to Abel & Imray.
• J A Kemp: London-based firm of patent and trade mark attorneys with deep technical sector coverage including life sciences, chemistry, physics and engineering. Directly comparable in service scope and client sophistication.
• Potter Clarkson: UK-based patent and trade mark attorney firm with strong practice in engineering, chemistry and biotechnology. Highly comparable in service mix and mid-market positioning to Abel & Imray.
• Mewburn Ellis: UK-based firm of patent and trade mark attorneys with a similar full-service offering (drafting, prosecution, opposition, IP strategy). Strong overlap with Abel & Imray's chemistry, life sciences and engineering sector coverage.
• Boult Wade Tennant: London-headquartered patent and trade mark attorney firm with strong technology, life sciences and engineering coverage. Directly comparable in expertise, scale and client mix to Abel & Imray.
• HGF (Hollis & Fisher Group): Top-tier European IP firm combining patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys and IP solicitors across multiple jurisdictions. Competes directly with Abel & Imray for UK and European patent/trade mark work.
• Haseltine Lake: European patent and trade mark attorney firm with offices in the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Comparable in being a focused IP-only firm with multi-jurisdictional representation similar to Abel & Imray.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/abelimray

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Abel & Imray