Skip to content

Rachel Mumby

Partner – Patent litigation

Over the last 15 years, Rachel has advised clients on global patent litigation matters across a broad range of topics, from pharma, biotech and medical devices cases to glass fibres and beer-dispensing machines. She has a particular interest in the chemical and life sciences sectors due to her background in chemistry.

Rachel’s work encompasses working on pre-litigation strategic issues as well as active litigation before the courts in the UK and elsewhere and playing a pivotal role in the coordination of multi-jurisdictional patent litigation. As part of this work she has gained experience in a range of issues such as obtaining interim injunctions, conducting litigation experiments, working with a wide range of technical experts and advising on patent entitlement issues.

For much of her career, Rachel has worked with leading pharmaceutical companies, helping them to develop strategies for the defence and enforcement of patents relating to blockbuster medicines and medical devices. Her work therefore involves working closely with lawyers and patent attorneys across the globe to ensure careful technical and legal alignment of litigation and prosecution matters.

Rachel’s work highlights include:

  • Celltrion v Genentech & Novartis – litigation in the High Court relating to XOLAIR (omalizumab) formulation.
  • Teva and Samsung Bioepis v Novartis – litigation in the High Court relating to LUCENTIS (ranibizumab) pre-filled syringes, also multi-jurisdictional coordination.
  • Heineken v Anheuser Busch Inbev v Heineken – litigation in the High Court relating to polymer chemistry of kegs used in beer dispensing machines.
  • OCV v Jushi – Appeal before the Court of Appeal relating to composition of glass fibres (guidance on anticipation relating to numerical ranges).
  • Fisher & Paykel v Resmed – litigation in the High Court relating to CPAP masks.
  • Good Technology Corporation v MobileIron – litigation in the High Court relating to software application.
  • Hospira v Novartis – litigation in the High Court and Court of Appeal relating to a dosage regimen relating to ACLASTA, also multijurisdictional coordination. Includes notable preliminary injunction (PI) decision from the Court of Appeal on the availability of PIs when a patent has been held to be invalid at first instance.
  • Top 5 pharmaceutical company v multiple generics/biosimilar companies (coordination of litigation and pre-litigation strategies relating to additional blockbuster medicines).

Rachel spent seven months on secondment to the patent litigation team of a US biopharmaceutical company where she gained a first-hand appreciation of life as “the client” and a valuable insight into how best to provide good client service and useful, commercial advice.

Rachel is a co-editor of the Kluwer Patent Blog.

Credentials

  • MChem Chemistry, University of Oxford
  • Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice, University of Oxford
  • Solicitor (England & Wales) 2010
  • Solicitor Advocate (England & Wales) 2020
  • Partner 2020
  • Admitted in Republic of Ireland 2024
  • UPC Representative 2024

What others say

“Rachel Mumby is solid on the science.” IAM Patent 1000 2024
“An accomplished litigator with a chemistry background.” IAM Patent 1000 2023
Rachel has a “reputation earned across a decade of sector-diverse patent litigation.” IAM Patent 1000 2022
“Owing to her chemistry background, chemical and life sciences cases are her speciality.” IAM Patent 1000 2022

Recommended For

Recommended, IP - Patents

Patent Litigation

Notable Practitioner

Patents

Patent Litigation

Intellectual Property: Patents (contentious and non-contentious)

Notable Practitioner

Patent Litigation

Life Sciences and Healthcare

Life Sciences and Healthcare (rising star)

UK Rising Star

Life Sciences and Healthcare (next generation lawyer)

Related Articles