Tommy McKenna Joins Global Law Experts as UK’s Exclusive Intellectual Property Member

Welcome Tommy McKenna

Global Law Experts is pleased to welcome Tommy McKenna of Fieldfisher as the Exclusive Member for Intellectual Property in the United Kingdom. This appointment reflects a shared commitment to excellence in IP litigation and advisory services across borders and sectors, and it underscores the network’s ongoing collaboration with leading practitioners who consistently deliver results for innovative businesses.

Background and qualifications

Tommy McKenna brings a distinctive combination of engineering insight and legal expertise to the field of intellectual property. With a background in electronic engineering, he has developed a deep technical fluency that informs every aspect of his IP practice. He regularly represents clients before the UK Courts, including the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court, as well as proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office. This blend of court room experience and regulatory engagement enables him to navigate complex disputes with technical precision and strategic clarity.

Educationally, McKenna has pursued advanced IP study, including the University of Oxford Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice. This formal grounding complements his hands on practice and reinforces his ability to translate intricate technical matters into practical legal strategies for clients. His professional development is complemented by active involvement in the IP community, including membership in esteemed organisations such as AIPPI and AIPLA, reflecting his commitment to staying at the forefront of IP law developments and industry dialogue.

Beyond his academic credentials, McKenna has cultivated a career marked by multi jurisdictional work and a nuanced understanding of the global IP landscape. His experience spans a range of sectors that rely on strong IP protection and enforcement, and he has demonstrated leadership in coordinating cross border teams to address the needs of multinational clients. His career has also included secondment experience with MTV Networks Europe, an arrangement that provided him with an inside perspective on the operational priorities of major media brands and the importance of aligning IP strategy with business objectives.

Fieldfisher and intellectual property practice

Fieldfisher presents a robust and internationally oriented intellectual property practice that supports clients across technology, media, life sciences, and manufacturing sectors. The firm maintains a strong presence in the United Kingdom with offices in London and other key hubs, while connecting capabilities across Europe and beyond to address cross border IP portfolios and disputes. In the IP space, Fieldfisher covers patents, trademarks, copyright, design rights, domain name protection, and trade secrets, with a track record in litigation, enforcement, licensing, and strategic advisory work. The firm’s approach integrates technical know how with legal strategy to help clients protect, enforce, and monetize their intellectual assets in rapidly evolving markets.

McKenna’s leadership within Fieldfisher’s IP practice reflects the firm’s emphasis on high stakes technology disputes and complex commercial matters. He is known for handling cases that demand deep technical understanding, sector intuition, and a pragmatic approach to dispute resolution. The Fieldfisher IP team regularly collaborates with other practice areas and international offices to deliver seamless cross border services, including litigation coordination in multi jurisdictional disputes and advisory work on cross border licensing and technology transfers. This integrated capability is particularly valuable for clients operating in fast moving fields such as electronics, telecommunications, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing.

Intellectual Property practice areas

• Patents litigation and strategic advisory
• Copyright protection and enforcement
• Design rights and related disputes
• Trade marks and branding disputes
• Domain name disputes and online IP enforcement
• Trade secrets and confidential information protection
• IP licensing and technology transactions
• Contractual disputes relating to technical subject matter
• Data protection and privacy considerations in IP contexts

McKenna’s practice encompasses both contentious and non contentious IP work, with a particular emphasis on patent disputes given his engineering background. He has advised on matters spanning a variety of technologies, including electronics and mechanical engineering, and has engaged with issues related to regulatory compliance, contract interpretation, and strategic portfolio management. His approach to IP rights extends beyond courtroom strategy to encompass risk assessment, portfolio optimization, and negotiation of licensing and collaboration agreements that align with clients’ commercial objectives.

Why exclusive membership

The selection of Tommy McKenna as Global Law Experts Exclusive Member for Intellectual Property in the United Kingdom rests on a disciplined review of his verified experience and professional standing. His UK and European litigation capabilities align with the network’s objective to connect clients with practitioners who can manage complex disputes across jurisdictions. McKenna’s engineering informed perspective helps him interpret technical details with clarity for judges, clients, and strategic partners alike, a quality highly valued in high stakes IP matters. His multi jurisdictional experience, including familiarity with EU IP offices and cross border enforcement considerations, positions him to advise multinational clients seeking comprehensive IP protection in the UK and across Europe. In addition, his leadership within professional IP circles, ongoing education, and engagement with industry events reinforce his reputation as a trusted advisor who can translate sophisticated technical concepts into practical legal strategies for business outcomes.

International relevance and regional strength

While rooted in the United Kingdom, McKenna’s practice is inherently international in scope. The IP landscape in Europe, the regulatory environment surrounding patents and design rights, and the cross border nature of modern technology transactions require counsel who can coordinate across jurisdictions and align strategies with global business objectives. McKenna’s experience handling multi jurisdictional matters and his familiarity with European patent processes equip him to support clients seeking consistency and efficiency in protecting their IP portfolios across borders. This regional strength complements Global Law Experts’ global network, enabling clients to access premier UK IP counsel while leveraging connections to leading practitioners in other major markets for seamless cross border collaboration.

Collaboration and future opportunities

Global Law Experts invites clients and colleagues to engage with Tommy McKenna and the Fieldfisher team on patent disputes, design and copyright matters, branding strategies, and comprehensive IP risk management. The Exclusive Membership signals a shared commitment to delivering high caliber IP counsel in the United Kingdom and across Europe, with a focus on translating legal insights into practical commercial outcomes. This partnership is designed to support technology innovators, manufacturers, and brand owners as they navigate the evolving IP ecosystem, ensuring protection and enforcement align with business goals and growth strategies.

We look forward to this new chapter of collaboration and to supporting clients in navigating the complexities of intellectual property law with depth, diligence, and practical insight.