27 Mar 2026
DWF hires Imogen Francis as director to lead UK Intellectual Property team in Birmingham
"Imogen Francis joins DWF in Birmingham as director to lead its UK intellectual property team, focusing on non-contentious IP, innovation, R&D and technology commercialisation."
Imogen joins DWF from Harper James and brings more than 13 years' experience advising on complex non-contentious intellectual property matters, with a particular focus on innovation, research and development and technology commercialisation. Before joining Harper James she held senior roles at Shoosmiths and earlier in her career at Shakespeare Martineau.
Imogen has advised clients across a range of sectors including energy, retail, sports, technology and life sciences, assisting organisations from start-ups and scale-ups to universities and multinationals. Her work spans the full product lifecycle from inception, brand management and protection through to commercialisation and enforcement. Her experience includes drafting and negotiating technology transfer and licensing agreements, collaboration and joint venture arrangements, software development contracts, and R&D and clinical trial agreements. She has also advised global pharmaceutical companies on regulatory matters and technology companies on complex cross-border software development and product licensing arrangements.
Based in Birmingham, Francis will lead DWF’s IP team with a focus on the non-contentious IP offering and will work closely with her contentious colleagues and the firm’s international network to support clients seeking to develop, protect, commercialise and enforce their intellectual property rights as they scale across global markets.