Peter S. Harrison
BSc (Manc), PhD (Bris), PhD (York), PGDipIP (Bris), FHEA

Solicitor (Senior Courts of England & Wales)

Lecturer

I have a BSc (Hons) degree in Physiology from the University of Manchester and was awarded a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Bristol for my work on mechanisms of brain cell death in stroke and epilepsy. Having attended the College of Law in York and trained at Linklaters in London, I qualified as a solicitor in 1997. Whilst working as a solicitor in the IP & Technology practice at Linklaters, I gained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law & Practice from the University of Bristol.

I worked as an Associate with specialist IP practice Sim Hughes Ashton & McKay LLP in Toronto and on my return to the UK practised intellectual property law with Squire Patton Boggs (as they now are) and Walker Morris, latterly becoming Head of Intellectual Property at international law firm Hill Dickinson LLP.

On returning to academia I gained a PhD in Law from the University of York, for my examination of the justifiable scope of indigenous rights in traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.

Litigation:

I have litigation experience in high-profile cases in the English High Court and Court of Appeal, Trial and Appeal Divisions of the Federal Court of Canada, the ECJ and the European Patent Office. I have often worked closely with foreign counsel in parallel litigation and advised clients on multi-jurisdictional litigation strategy. Major IP disputes that I have acted on have ranged widely in technical area from genetically modified crops, through hormone replacement therapy, acellular vaccines, transplant anti-rejection agents, recombinant erythropoietin, narcotics detection, anti-malarials, agrochemicals, polymer synthesis, diesel fuel additives, memory chips and electroplating, to pork pies.

Transactional:

I have advised multi-national corporate entities, universities, NHS trusts, SMEs and spin-outs on IP exploitation, licensing and securitisation. I have also acted for investment banks, private equity and corporate entities on the IP and chemical/pharma regulatory aspects of corporate transactions and in relation to IPOs and other equity issues (including full listing on the London, Frankfurt and Copenhagen stock exchanges and listing on London AIM).

I  have been recommended for intellectual property law by both Chambers & Partners (UK) and Legal 500 (UK). In 2008 I was "Highly Commended" (awarded second place nationally) in the Law Society of England & Wales Excellence Awards for “excellence in practice development”.