Haley Guiliano’s London Office Breaks New Ground with Financial Times Recognition

Haley Guiliano’s (HG’s) London office has achieved a significant milestone, being named to the Financial Times’ Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms List for the first time. This recognition, comprised of firms most recommended in a survey of 10,000 peers and clients, illustrates HG’s growing influence in the international intellectual property landscape.

This is a breakthrough moment for the Haley Guiliano London office and comes after seven years of remarkable growth. The London team’s capabilities have expanded year-on-year to rise to the challenge of operating in the highly competitive London legal market, delivering exceptional work within a carefully nurtured, open and collaborative work climate.

London Office Leadership Celebrates Historic Achievement

Peter Hale, a partner in the London office who specializes in large patent portfolio management and contentious patent proceedings, expressed his pride in the recognition.

“This acknowledgment from the Financial Times validates what we’ve always known – that our London team punches well above its weight,” said Hale. “We’ve built something truly special here. Our approach to patent strategy and client service has always been innovative, and it’s gratifying to see that recognized on such a prestigious platform. We’ve created a truly collaborative work environment, and that shows in the motivation of our people and the quality of our work – whether we’re supporting major patent assertions or defending patents through complex European opposition proceedings.”

The London office has carved out a distinctive niche in the intellectual property world, with particular strength in European patent matters and cross-border IP strategy. What sets the team apart is their commitment to delivering plain language advice rooted in the commercial big picture. This approach has proven especially valuable in their work with clients who need patents that are utilized in business-critical ways.

A significant portion of the London team’s work involves supporting patent assertions and licensing efforts. This commercial focus has contributed to recent successful negotiation outcomes and, where necessary, supports major patent litigation in both the U.S. and Europe.

The team’s expertise in patent utilization naturally extends to defending those patents when challenged, particularly in European Patent Office oppositions and appeals. In the past year alone, the London office has obtained decisions maintaining several contested patents, demonstrating their skill in high-stakes patent defense work.

Andrew Hilton, who was elevated to partner in 2024, emphasized the collaborative nature of the team’s success and their commercial focus.

“What makes our London office special is how we’ve managed to maintain that boutique feel while delivering big-firm results,” Hilton noted. “We understand that innovation in this industry isn’t just about the legal work – it’s about how we approach client relationships, how we integrate technical expertise with legal strategy, and how we adapt to the evolving needs of our clients, always deriving value from their investment in IP. Our clients don’t want theoretical legal dissertations – they want practical guidance that helps them succeed commercially.”

The London office’s superpower is its integration with Haley Guiliano’s teams in the United States. As Hilton explains,

“The commercial reality is that U.S. patents can be the most valuable patents in the world, and any company with an international patent portfolio needs to ensure that patent applications are drafted and prosecuted in a manner that promotes the value of the U.S. patent synergistically with the value of the EP patent. We do this properly by creating interconnected internal teams spanning the jurisdictions that collaborate to develop prosecution strategies maximizing the value of both U.S. and EP patents.”

Firm-Wide Impact and Future Vision

For James F. Haley, Jr., the Firm’s co-founder, the London office’s recognition represents more than just a regional achievement – it’s a testament to the firm’s global vision and collaborative culture.

“When we established our London presence, we weren’t just opening another office – we were making a statement about our commitment to serving clients wherever innovation happens with a multijurisdictional team of great lawyers,” said Haley. “To see our London team recognized by the Financial Times alongside some of the world’s most established firms is incredibly meaningful. It shows that our model of combining boutique attention with global reach isn’t just working – it’s setting new standards in the industry.”

Haley, who has built his career on some of the most groundbreaking patents in biotechnology and has been recognized for his work on patents that “changed the world,” sees the London recognition as validation of the firm’s strategic approach to patents as worldwide business assets.

“This isn’t just about London – it’s about proving that innovative legal practice can emerge from anywhere when you have the right people and the right approach,” he continued.

Recognition Long Overdue

The Financial Times recognition is particularly significant given the competitive nature of London’s legal market and the historical challenges faced by small and boutique law offices in gaining recognition from major award organizations. HG London has consistently delivered high-quality work across a range of industries and has not been overshadowed by larger, more established practices.

“For too long, exceptional work has gone unrecognized simply because it didn’t come from the biggest names,” observed Hale. “Hats off to the FT for thinking outside the box. This recognition is important not just for us, but for the broader conversation about what innovation looks like in legal practice. The most innovative approaches come from teams that are nimble enough to try new things.”

The achievement comes at a time when Haley Guiliano has been receiving increased recognition across multiple platforms. The firm has been celebrated by Chambers and Partners, IAM, Managing IP, and the Life Sciences Patent Network for its patent prosecution and IP strategy work.

Looking Ahead

As the London office celebrates this milestone, team members are already looking toward the future and how they can build on this momentum. The recognition from the Financial Times comes with both validation and responsibility – to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in IP practice while maintaining the client-focused approach that has defined their success.

For Haley Guiliano as a whole, the London office’s achievement represents more than just another award. It’s proof that the firm’s vision of combining boutique quality with global reach is not only viable but capable of setting new standards in the industry. As intellectual property continues to evolve in an increasingly connected world, the London office’s recognition suggests that innovation in legal practice is alive and well, regardless of office size or market position.

Recognition by the Financial Times places Haley Guiliano’s London office among an elite group of legal practices that are reshaping how intellectual property law is practiced in the modern era. For a team that has long believed in the power of innovation to drive client success, this recognition marks not an end, but a beginning of even greater things to come.