Hiroshi Sheraton

As part of his cross-border practice, Hiroshi represents clients in IP disputes in the UK and across Europe, including advising on the interaction between cases in the European Patent Office, national courts across Europe, and the Unified Patent Court (UPC). Hiroshi typically works with clients and local counsel to develop and implement strategies that mitigate risks and optimize outcomes.

Drawing on his first degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, Hiroshi has a particular focus in the life sciences sector and has worked extensively with biotech, vaccine, RNA, recombinant, and gene therapy technologies to protect, defend and commercialize IP rights. He has managed bet-the-company patent cases in high-stakes litigation as well as negotiated complex cross-border licensing deals.

In other sectors, Hiroshi has handled matters for medical device, electronics, telecommunications, engineering, automotive, transport, mining, energy, consumer products, fintech and green tech. He is well versed in protecting know-how and trade secrets where patent rights may be inappropriate and has worked with specialist tax advisors to leverage commercial opportunities while maximizing IP protections.

Many of Hiroshi’s matters sit at the interface between IP law and other legal disciplines such as regulatory and EU competition law. He led one of the first "reverse payment" patent settlement cases before the European courts and advised clients on antitrust constraints to IP licensing matters such as FRAND.

He also advises on pharmaceutical regulatory issues where they interact with traditional IP rights, such as matters concerning Supplementary Protection Certificates, data exclusivity, orphan designations and pediatric exclusivities.

In the brand protection arena, Hiroshi has handled litigation, registry disputes, anti-counterfeiting, parallel trade, and enforcement matters often in highly regulated industries such as life sciences, tobacco, alcohol beverage, and online gaming as well as cosmetics and consumer products.

• Acting for a biotechnology company in World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) arbitration proceedings relating to patent ownership arising from a series of licensing and collaboration agreements
• Advising a vaccine technology company on enforcement of patents around Europe covering adjuvant technology
• Assisting on freedom to operate and litigation strategy on launch of an RNA product
• Represented a leading UK manufacturer of heavy machinery in UK, French, Italian, and European Patent Office (EPO) patent proceedings against a competitor relating to telehandlers
• Acting for a global cosmetic company in patent litigation relating to hair treatments
• Advising on patent litigation and licensing relating to the ADSL communications standard
• Representing a client on patent litigation relating to materials used for vehicles in meeting emissions standards
• Successfully asserting patents and registered designs relating to skin cleansing devices
• Handling multi-jurisdictional patent litigation concerning extended-wear contact lenses
• Acted for a global vaccine manufacturer in multijurisdictional patent litigation against a competitor
• Advised a market leading manufacturer in patent litigation concerning gel-foam polymer technology in several jurisdictions
• Representing a premium spirit brand in brand enforcement matters, including in English High Court proceedings
• Successfully asserting trademark infringement in the UK courts in the online gaming industry
• Representing a pharmaceutical company in defense of an allegation of breach of competition law in connection with a patent settlement agreement.