Jenny Davies

Jenny Davies provides strategic advice to help her clients protect and exploit their R&D investment in the life sciences sector, medical device sector and the chemical industry. She negotiates agreements to support her clients' research, development, manufacture and commercialisation, and protects their markets through the enforcement of patents.

Jenny is a life sciences and patent specialist in Gowling WLG's Intellectual Property team. Her first class Masters in Biochemistry from Oxford University, 12 years' experience working across the life sciences sector and personal touch enable her to build strong relationships with her clients to get to the heart of their business and the commercial and technical challenges they face.

Jenny delivers business-focused solutions across her unique practice area spanning patents and dispute resolution, transactions ranging from strategic licensing to highly complex collaborations and regulatory matters. Jenny advises clients in all aspects of patent enforcement, from technical analysis and global strategy to leading UK litigation and EPO oppositions.

Given the commercial and practical value of the assets Jenny protects, her approach combines precision and detail with a commercial mindset and sector-led solutions. Jenny has helped clients including AstraZeneca, BioNTech, GlaxoSmithKline, Heptares Therapeutics, Immunocore, MedImmune and Lundbeck. Clients praise her "endless determination", "formidable intellect" and are "deeply impressed" with her "unusual capacity to think creatively".

Jenny's work highlights include leading ground-breaking patent litigation up to the UK Court of Appeal to achieve a novel form of "Arrow declaration" for Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin and advising AstraZeneca across a range of high value and complex transactions: its collaboration with the University of Oxford (COVID-19 vaccine); two $6 billion oncology collaborations with Daiichi Sankyo; an $8.5 billion oncology deal with Merck; and a $300 million oncology deal with Genzyme (Caprelsa).

Jenny is a member of the BioIndustry Association's IP Advisory Committee, and SPC and exclusivities committee, and a regular speaker on patent litigation and strategy.

Experience

  • Jenny's patent analysis and contentious practice spans technical areas including medical devices (wound care, intimate care, ostomy products, respiratory devices, autoinjectors), pharmaceutical and biotechnology patents (small molecules, recombinant proteins, genes, antibodies, inhalable and injectable products, dosing regimens, formulation, vaccines), chemicals (petrochemicals, refrigerants) and patents relating to materials and methods of manufacture (chemical foams, plastics, coatings, graphene). 
    • A recent highlight is Jenny's work for BioNTech, advising on patent matters relating to its COVID-19 vaccine.
    • A highlight of Jenny's contentious portfolio is her work on biological therapies. Jenny acted for the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research in the first dispute involving biological therapies in the UK, and advised Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics in its billion-dollar dispute with AbbVie, securing for Fujifilm a ground-breaking form of declaratory relief in preparation for its launch, in a global market worth over $16bn per year and over £400m in the UK alone.
    • Jenny assisted in defending H. Lundbeck in a leading case involving its top-selling anti-depressant enantiomer drug, Escitalopram. Jenny drew on her scientific background to navigate the highly complex litigation, involving extensive organic chemistry experimentation.
  • In the EPO, Jenny has advised on a number of complex and hard-fought oppositions, ranging from chemical refrigerants and insulating foam to medical devices.
  • Devising global patent enforcement and defensive strategies, Jenny has coordinated cross-border litigation and international IP enforcement programs spanning 20 jurisdictions, including online IP enforcement.
  • Jenny's transactional practice is extensive, ranging from modest patent licenses and distribution agreements to highly-complex, high-value licensing and collaboration deals valued up to $8.5 billion. Clients commented that Jenny has a "very commercial mindset" and "her attention to detail and devotion to the task at hand is indeed impressive."
    • Jenny has advised AstraZeneca across a range of complex transactions with the University of Oxford (COVID-19 vaccine), Merck, Genzyme and Daiichi Sankyo, totalling in excess of $20 billion.
    • She advised GSK on its €400 million deal with MorphoSys.
    • Jenny has acted for Heptares in its multi-million collaboration with Genentech and strategic multi-target partnership with Takeda.
    • Jenny advised Immunocore on its transaction with Genentech for a phase 1 ready asset.
  • Jenny's regulatory experience is cross-sector, ranging from advising a leading cosmetic company on the regulation of a novel type of device and providing advice in respect of orphan indications and exclusivities, to consumer products with medical claims.
  • Jenny was seconded to the Gowling WLG China office as Interim Chief Representative Officer in 2014. Her work in China enabled her to develop a wealth of experience in this important jurisdiction and saw her acting for the Guangzhou office's largest client, with over 100 infringement matters to date.
  • Jenny has six months' experience working inside the IP team of one of the country's most innovative consumer product businesses, providing her with a wealth of knowledge and insight as to the needs and issues of an in-house legal team.

Career & Recognition

Filter timeline:
  • 2023

  • 2021

  • 2020

  • 2019

    • Career
      July 2019
      Gowling WLG (UK), Director
  • 2018

    • Rankings & Awards
      September 2018
    • Rankings & Awards
       2018
      Lead Associate on transaction winning British Legal Award: TMT Team of the Year
    • Rankings & Awards
       2018
      Lead Associate on transaction winning Managing IP: Transactional Team of the Year
    • Rankings & Awards
       2018
      Lead Associate on transaction winning Scripp Award: Licensing Deal of the Year
  • 2017

    • Rankings & Awards
       2017
      Managing IP 2017, Rising Star
    • Rankings & Awards
       2017
      Lead Associate on litigation winning Managing IP: Team of the Year
  • 2016

    • Career
      July 2016
      Gowling WLG (UK), principal associate
  • 2014

    • Career
       2014
      Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co LLP, Interim Chief Representative Officer, Guangzhou
    • Career
       2014
      Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co LLP, Senior Associate
  • 2011

    • Education
       2011
      University of Oxford, postgraduate diploma in intellectual property law
  • 2010

    • Career
       2010
      Wragge & Co LLP, Solicitor
  • 2008

    • Education
       2008
      University of Law, LLB (first class honours)
  • 2006

    • Education
       2006
      University of Oxford, Masters in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry