Meet... Liz Ward
contact: t: 0844 800 8871/ (0044) 113 237 9901/ mob: 0044 7834 129522 / liz@virtuosolegal.com
Liz is the Principal at Virtuoso Legal, a practice she set up to deal with the specialist requirements of companies for Intellectual Property and Information Technology legal advice. Liz is recommended by clients as being thorough, approachable and commercial.
Liz has been recommended by the Legal 500 for the past 5 years for her IP/IT expertise. She received a plaudit in the 2008 Legal 500 which praised her for being hard working and thorough. Liz is now recommended by Chambers and Partners 2010 (the leading journal used a reference for lawyers) as a “Leader in her Field.”
Liz qualified as a Solicitor with DLA in 1996. In 1999, she moved to Hammond Suddards and worked as an Associate in the Intellectual Property Department. Liz joined Keeble Hawson as a Partner in 2001 and left in 2005 to establish an IP / IT department in Fox Hayes LLP.
Liz has an honours degree in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Manchester and worked in the pharmaceutical industry before re-training as a solicitor in the early 1990’s. Her legal expertise now encompasses an in-depth knowledge of the law relating to patents, trade marks, copyright, technology know how and confidential information. In view of her technical background as a scientist and her work in the pharmaceutical industry, she has a particular interest and specialisation in pharmaceutical law and biotech related companies.
Liz undertakes contentious and non contentious work for a range of clients. Contentious work includes litigation in the High Courts. The non contentious work includes licensing software, know-how, technology and brands in order to make income streams for companies. In the past she has acted for a number of Universities and similar research organisations. Liz acted for the University of Sheffield in the matter of Cyprotex Discovery Limited v the University of Sheffield, which went to the Court of Appeal in 2003. Liz currently acts for a range of companies both in the UK and overseas. These currently include Savant Distribution Limited, Alive, Simcyp Limited, Experia Innovations Limited, Envirocare Limited and others. Clients like the commercial, positive approach Liz brings to her work. They like her practical nature and ability to cut through matters and reach the central issues.
Liz is a member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (CIPA), the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA) and is currently chair of the North East section of the Licensing Executives Society (LES). These memberships keep her in touch with other professionals involved in the business of protecting intellectual property. She regularly lectures on all matters related to IP law, and has helped a number of organisations to train scientists to improve their skills when negotiating the commercialisation of intellectual property rights.
Throughout 2008 and 2009, Liz has lectured and written on the following topics:
- E disclosure
- Look alike products
- UKTI leaflet on licensing and franchising
- Branding is everything
- Coping with the credit crunch
- Theft of electronic data and IT security measures.
Liz is qualified as a supervising solicitor for Search and Seizure Orders and has helped other solicitors who need a suitably qualified person to oversee such searches.
Liz’s main objective at Virtuoso Legal is to build a strong team of well qualified lawyers who can provide first class, quality advice to commercial clients.