William Warne

William Warne is a Partner in Bird & Bird's London Intellectual Property Group. His practice focuses on Patent Law, with extensive experience advising clients across a wide variety of industries on complex legal issues and strategic considerations relating to all IP rights.

His particular expertise is in high-value complex patent litigation relating to telecoms (including FRAND) and emerging new areas of connectivity affecting many sectors.

Since joining Bird & Bird's IP group on qualification as a solicitor in 2011, William has worked with a broad range of clients in industries spanning electronics and telecoms, automotive, defence, IT, consumer goods, life sciences, media and sport. He specialises in dealing with high-value and complex patent litigation, particularly relating to telecoms and connectivity where new technologies are evolving, and has considerable experience of disputes relating to Standard Essential Patents and FRAND.

He is a member of Bird & Bird's Automotive, Tech & Comms, Aviation & Defence sector groups, and has a particular interest in the IP issues relating to the IoT, such as connected and autonomous vehicles. He has a sciences degree and is extremely tech literate.

In recent years, he has been involved in cases across many sectors, ranging from disputes between SMEs at the IPEC (Intellectual Property Enterprise Court) to international arbitration and complex multi-jurisdictional litigation. Much of his work relates to ongoing or anticipated disputes regarding patents, including freedom to operate opinions and portfolio evaluation, though he is also experienced in disputes relating to copyright, trade marks, designs and confidential information.

He studied Natural Sciences, specialising in Chemistry, at Durham University, completed a Graduate Diploma in Law at Oxford Brookes University, the Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Law and Practice at the University of Oxford. He was admitted to the roll of solicitors (England and Wales) in 2011.