We’re pleased to announce the appointment of intellectual property specialist Sarah Simpson, who joins our Manchester office as a partner in our Commercial team.
Sarah brings extensive experience advising clients on the protection, exploitation and enforcement of intellectual property rights. She specialises in brand protection and the management of complex international trademark portfolios, supporting clients with worldwide branding strategies.
Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of IP rights, supporting on multi-million pound acquisition and image rights transactions. Sarah regularly advises on opposition, cancellation, infringement and anti-counterfeiting matters, alongside a broad range of commercial agreements such as licensing, sponsorship, influencer, co-existence and settlement agreements. Her wider practice also includes data protection, privacy, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.
She works with clients across sectors including fashion, luxury, retail, entertainment, sport, technology and consumer goods, from early-stage businesses to established international brands.
Sarah’s appointment reflects our continued investment in our Manchester office, following our recent move to the city’s landmark St Michael’s development. As a key strategic hub for the firm, Manchester continues to see strong demand from a growing base of innovative and high-growth businesses requiring specialist commercial and intellectual property advice.
Hill Dickinson’s culture and commercial ambition were a real draw for me. Along with wider investment across the firm, the move to St Michael’s signals a firm that is committed to growth and providing an exceptional environment for both clients and people. Manchester has an incredibly dynamic and innovative business community, and I’m excited to be joining a firm with such a strong platform and culture to help clients protect and maximise the value of their intellectual property as they grow and scale.Sarah Simpson
Partner at Hill Dickinson
James Lonsdale, Head of Commercial at Hill Dickinson, said: “Sarah is a fantastic addition to our team in Manchester and nationally. She brings a wealth of experience across a broad range of intellectual property matters, alongside a strong commercial mindset that aligns perfectly with how we support our clients. Her appointment further strengthens our IP capability at a time of increasing demand and reflects our ambitions for continued growth in the region following our move to St Michael’s.”
Fiona Parry, Head of the Business Services Group at Hill Dickinson, said: “Sarah’s appointment is another important step in the continued growth of our Business Services Group. Her expertise enhances our national IP offering and supports our focus on building strength in key markets such as Manchester, where we are seeing significant opportunities driven by the region’s strengths in innovative industries. As we continue to expand, bringing in high-calibre talent like Sarah ensures we are well positioned to support our clients’ evolving needs.”
Sarah Simpson, Intellectual Property Partner at Hill Dickinson, said: “Hill Dickinson’s culture and commercial ambition were a real draw for me. Along with wider investment across the firm, the move to St Michael’s signals a firm that is committed to growth and providing an exceptional environment for both clients and people. Manchester has an incredibly dynamic and innovative business community, and I’m excited to be joining a firm with such a strong platform and culture to help clients protect and maximise the value of their intellectual property as they grow and scale.”