Rachel Montagnon

Rachel is the Knowledge Counsel to Herbert Smith Freehills' European intellectual property practice and is responsible for practice's thought leadership. Rachel has a great interest in the life sciences, with a medical sciences degree as a well as a law degree, but also in all aspects of technological innovation. She has a background in advising clients on matters across the full range of IP rights (including trade mark/branding, design right and copyright disputes as well as patent litigation, in particular, in the area of biotechnology).  More recently, she has become a specialist in the developing Unified Patent Court case law and procedure and has is part of a team addressing the IP issues arising in AI.

Rachel trains clients, presents at client events and external conferences, coordinates the firm's IP knowledge management, leads on risk management of IP issues for clients and the firm, and provides support to our clients through dedicated advice lines and briefings.

Rachel also runs our IP blog  'Intellectual Property Notes' and our Unified Patent Court hub. She has been a key contributor to our series The IP in AI and our UPC briefings and blog post series. Rachel regularly has articles published in the major IP and legal journals, including PLC Magazine and on Practical Law. She has also edited the Olympics section in the new Sports law volume of Halsbury's Laws of England and been an editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice (OUP).

Rachel says "My scientific background has given me a particular interest in promoting the opportunities of a legal career to STEM students. I run workshops at HSF and work with our graduate recruitment team to encourage technologically skilled students to find out more about intellectual property and technology law in practice. Look out for our annual IP, Cyber and Technology Open Day aimed specifically at giving STEM students insight into how their skills can be used in a legal career."