“Charlie French is an astute tactician and wonderful with client care. She is considered and calm every step of the way.” (Legal 500 2026)

Charlie specialises in patent litigation, with a particular focus on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, stemming from her background in biochemistry and molecular biology. She represents clients in complex patent litigation and arbitration and is highly experienced in coordinating multinational litigation strategies for clients alongside local legal and regulatory advisors. She has an excellent understanding of the different legal and regulatory systems within Europe and further afield and provides strategic advice that takes into account the broader global landscape.

Within the life sciences sector, Charlie has advised on disputes relating to antibodies and antibody engineering technology, small molecule pharmaceuticals, gene cloning and cell-based expression systems, drug delivery systems, formulations and dosage regimens. Charlie has also acted for clients in the fields of consumer goods, shipping, software and agriculture.

Some of Charlie’s work highlights include:

• Lilly v Novartis; UCB v Novartis – European patent revocation and infringement proceedings relating to IL-17AF antibody patents.
• Sandoz & Polpharma v Biogen – patent revocation and infringement proceedings in the Patents Court relating to anti-JCV antibody testing used to support the safety of natalizumab treatment for multiple sclerosis.
• Advising the licensee in a contractual dispute under an arbitration clause in a licence to a cell expression system used in the manufacture of an antibody-drug conjugate for cancer therapy.
• Parainen Pearl Shipping & Ors v Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skipsrederi – Patents Court case on exhaustion of patent rights, application of the Schutz v Werit test of manufacture/repair, implied licence and estoppel.
• Accord v Medac – invalidity proceedings in the Patents Court relating to a patent claiming a concentrated methotrexate formulation.
• Novartis v Focus, Actavis & Teva – litigation in the Patents Court and Court of Appeal concerning a transdermal dosage regimen patent for rivastigmine (Exelon®) and global coordination of parallel litigation and EPO opposition.
• Coordinating multinational patent litigation for a number of blockbuster pharmaceutical and biologic products in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia and Africa, with experience ranging from obtaining a record number of preliminary injunctions against infringing generic products in India to multiple parallel section 1782 discovery proceedings in the US.

Charlie regularly publishes and speaks on UPC topics and co-hosts a UPC podcast (‘You, me and the UPC’). She is a previous winner of the Young EPLAW UPC Mock Trial, competing against patent litigators across Europe.

She is also one of the authors of Bristows’ annual UPC Review and Biotech Review publications, is actively involved in Bristows’ Diversity & Inclusion group and co-heads Bristows’ Families & Carers Network.

Charlie is a member of AIPPI and the CIPA Life Sciences Committee.