Sarah Neil


Senior Associate

Sarah Neil is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in our Trade Mark team who are highly ranked by Legal 500 and a number of IP directories, obtaining particular recognition for the strength of client support and service they provide. Sarah advises on the full range of trade mark, design and copyright matters, including clearance, protection and enforcement of IP rights. Sarah’s clients operate in industry sectors such as insurance, telecommunications and food & beverage.

Examples of projects Sarah has assisted with include an IP Audit for a UK based telecommunications service provider, advising on obtaining IP protection for new packaging for a beverage, defending threats of registered design infringement made against a well-known producer of bakery products and the enforcement of trade mark rights on behalf of clients both in the UK and overseas. Sarah also manages IP portfolios by providing strategic advice, with a focus on alignment with client’s overall corporate objectives and strategy.

“Very efficient and concise in communicating and proactively making proposals, making it easy for the client to respond.”
Legal 500 2023 Client Testimonial

“It is always reassuring to know that we have AA Thornton standing by to advise us all on IP and trade mark matters. Geoff Hussey and his team of lawyers and attorneys always provide us with first class advice and guidance. We would like to thank Sarah Neil for her great work on the recent sale of our European price comparison businesses to ZPG.”

Dan Caunt, Head of Legal, Admiral Group

"Sarah Neil is always on hand to offer great advice and always finds the solutions we need!"

Legal 500

"The 'excellent' A.A. Thornton & Co. 'goes the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service' and has expertise in both contentious and non-contentious matters."

Legal 500

“We have been very impressed with the highly professional level of service and support we have received from everyone at AA Thornton. They have taken us from success in the Intellectual Property Office to success at the Court of Appeal and we would highly recommend the way that AA Thornton’s trade mark attorneys work closely with their litigators to achieve outstanding results. Dan Byrne and Sarah Neil have provided solid and strategic advice, always steering us right in light of our commercial objectives.”

Bill Stirling, Managing Director, ABP Technology Limited

"AA Thornton renders tailored trademark and IP services to a distinguished clientele."

WTR 1000

 

Practice Areas
  • Copyright
  • Design Rights
  • Domain Names
  • Trade Marks
Industries of Focus
  • Insurance
  • Telecommunications
  • Food & Drink
Core Responsibilities
  • Advising in relation to all aspects of trade mark clearance and searching, filing and prosecution of trade mark applications.
  • Advising in relation to enforcement of trade mark and design rights and handling the prosecution and defence of opposition, revocation and invalidity proceedings before the UK IPO and EU IPO.
  • Advising in relation domain name disputes under the UDRP and at Nominet and assists with domain name portfolio management.
  • Advising in relation to design rights and handling the prosecution of design applications.
Professional Memberships
  • Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA)
Career
  • She joined AA Thornton in 2012
  • Sarah Qualified as a UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in 2015
  • Sarah was promoted to Associate in 2018
  • Sarah was promoted to Senior Associate in July 2020
Qualifications
  • BA Hons Law, University of Cambridge
  • Certificate in Trade Mark Law and Practice, Queen Mary, University of London
  • Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice – Nottingham University
  • Qualified as a UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney in 2015
  • European Trade Mark and Designs Attorney
Awards / Accolades
  • Recommended in Legal 500 UK