Sean Jauss

ABOUT SEAN    I    CONTENTIOUS PROCEEDINGS    I    TRANSACTIONS    I    DUE DILLIGENCE    I    RECOMMENDATIONS     I     BACK STORY     I    PERSONAL

Sean is an entrepreneurial lawyer specialising in IP litigation and transactions. His international practice leverages a blend of scientific expertise, commercial awareness, a deep understanding of IP law, and a strategic mindset to deliver pragmatic business solutions tailored to address complex, often multi-jurisdictional, IP challenges facing his clients. Sean’s focus is always to achieve meaningful commercial outcomes for his clients.

Sean has over 20 years of experience advising C-suite executives in global markets, including Europe, US and Japan, in relation to IP disputes, technology transfer, and commercialisation, particularly in the biotech, pharma, informatics, advanced materials and heavy engineering sectors.

He is described by those that work with him as “commercially astute, dedicated to his clients and a pleasure to work with. ” He is consistently recognised for his excellence in providing considered, reasoned advice.

Sean leads the firm’s Legal Services department and is a member of the Management Board.

Contentious proceedings

Sean handles complex IP disputes across multiple jurisdictions. His experience spans UK courts, national courts in Europe (via an extensive trusted network of international colleagues) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), as well as international mediation and arbitrations.

Recent key cases

International arbitration. Sean is handling a patent licence dispute at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre for a Singapore-based biotech SME.

Ekaterra Research & Development UK Limited v Revtech. In conjunction with local counsel, Sean is representing the claimant in a French patent infringement and saisie contrefacon action involving a food processing technology at the Tribunal Judiciare de Paris.

Prevayl Holdings Limited & Others v MyZone Holdings Limited & Others. Sean led the defence of a UK patent infringement action involving wearables technology in the English IP Enterprise Court, achieving a confidential settlement shortly before trial.

Playseats BV v Ace Casual Limited. As part of a wider European enforcement action, Sean led a UK design rights infringement action involving gaming accessories for the claimant in the English IP Enterprise Court, achieving a confidential settlement shortly before trial.

Teleflex Medical Inc. v Flexicare Medical Limited. Alongside local counsel, Sean handled the defence of a preliminary injunction and subsequent patent infringement claim involving a medical device in Düsseldorf regional court, achieving a confidential settlement.

White Wave LLC v Paul Roberts Productions. Sean handled a trademark infringement action for the claimant in the English High Court, achieving a confidential settlement.

Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd and Frozen Brothers Ltd v Blue Ice Machines Ltd & Others. Sean is leading a trademark infringement and passing off action for the claimants in the English IP Enterprise Court.

Howorth Air Technology Ltd v Medical Air Technology (Holding) Limited. Sean helped handle the defence of a patent infringement claim involving an air filtration technology in the English High Court under the Short Trial Scheme, achieving a confidential settlement

Nexans SA v Prysmian SpA. Sean led a successful patent revocation action at the UKIPO to invalidate the UK family member of a cable technology patent in suit elsewhere in Europe.

Wavescapes Limted v CV Life Ltd. Sean led a trademark infringement action at the English IP Enterprise Court, achieving a confidential settlement.

Verily Lifesciences v Dr Waghorn. Sean led a patent dispute for the claimant in the Admiralty Court resulting in the dismissal of the defendant’s case.

Mycology technology dispute. Sean represented a US-based client in relation to infringement of their mycological substrate patent rights in the UK, the Czechia and Australia. Recently Sean advised the client in its pivot to "open-source" patent licensing, including preparation and implementation of a novel non-assert declaration.

Water filtration technology dispute. Sean handled a patent entitlement dispute and related breach of contract claim for a UK based SME in relation to industrial water filtration technology, achieving a confidential settlement.

Trade secret misappropriation. Sean advised a global manufacturer of scientific instruments regarding trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement in the UK, securing undertakings.

Mediation. Acting for a Canadian-based defendant, Sean led a cross-border trademark dispute, achieving a confidential settlement following CEDR mediation.

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Transactions

Sean is skilled at structuring and executing a variety complex, cross-border patent transactions and technology transfer deals. He works closely with clients to develop tailored commercial strategies, including licensing, multi-party collaborations, and joint ventures. 

Recent key projects

Complex IP restructure. In advance of marketing approval for its lead clinical candidate, Sean is representing a Singaporean company in respect of the restructure of its IP holdings to allow it to take advantage of the UK patent box relief and the double taxation treaty with the US, and to establish of a separate Chinese distribution network. The project is being delivered alongside the client’s tax advisors and corporate counsel. Sean supported the client in securing approval from the Singaporean tax authorities (IRAS) for the proposed restructure.

Unincorporated drug discovery joint venture. Sean is representing a UK enzyme company in respect of an unincorporated joint venture with a Japanese counterparty aimed at identifying and developing human therapeutic lead candidates.

Discovery and development collaboration. Sean represented Tribune Therapeutics AB, a Norwegian preclinical biopharmaceutical company focussed on fibrosis, in relation to their discovery and development collaboration with Eli Lilly. 

Patent licence renegotiation. Sean is advising an industrial lighting manufacturer in renegotiation a long-standing patent settlement licence with a major electronics company. 

Patent assertion & licensing. Sean advised a global biopharma company regarding enforcement of their bioprocessing patent in France and the UPC, including the deployment of saisie evidence seizure orders, preliminary injunctions and patent licensing.

Portfolio company licensing. Sean advised a Singapore-based global life sciences venture fund in relation to IP aspects of their investments in Singapore and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific area, and subsequently has represented a number of the portfolio companies in relation to patent licensing deals to secure the core business technology.

Pharma licensing. Sean represented a UK company in relation to a patent licensing deal with big pharma, which will involve the development and commercialisation of clinical candidates based on the application of the client’s technology platform with various drug payloads.

Automotive patent licensing. Sean represented a major European car company in relation to unwinding of a haptic touch panel patent settlement licence agreement with a US counterpart. 

Semiconductor patent licensing. Sean represented an optical chips company in relation to complex R&D collaborations, including with a major US tech company and a Finnish company, and their licensing of their patents to a Chinese joint venture company.

Polymer collaboration. Sean represented a major German chemicals company in relation to a complex joint development agreement for coatings technology with another European multinational.

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Due Diligence

Sean handles IP due diligence and related work for a wide range of corporate transactions, including patent asset acquisitions, corporate investments, M&A deals, IPOs, and other strategic initiatives. He collaborates with leading global law firms, accountants and tax advisors to deliver insightful reports that inform decision-making and map risk mitigation strategies for clients. His experience spans various stock exchanges, including London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.

Recent key projects

Asset acquisitions. Sean advised Novo Holdings A/S and Breye Therapeutics ApS, a Danish biopharmaceutical company developing oral therapies for retinal vascular diseases, in relation to the acquisition of the P2X7 receptor antagonist compound programme from the Italian biotech Axxam and Golgi Neurosciences. 

HKSE IPO. Sean helped to conduct a significant project involving due diligence and FTO of the client’s patent estate for an IPO of Singapore-based bio-diagnostics company MiRXES the Hong Kong stock exchange.

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Recommendations

Sean is named a Patent Star in Managing Intellectual Property: IP Stars 2023 and 2024. He is also recognised in the IAM Patent 1000 2024. Sean is ranked in Chambers & Partners 2023-2024, The Legal 500 and Managing IP. In He has been described as “extremely commercially astute, dedicated to his clients and a pleasure to work with. He explains complex issues in a coherent and concise way.” He is recognised as having “expertise in IP protection, commercialisation and rights enforcement, with a strong presence in the life sciences, engineering and nanotechnology sectors”. One client says: “He explains complex ideas in a way that’s easy to understand, he identifies areas of risk and he is a real pleasure to work with.” Sean has also been praised for being "excellent in providing considered, reasoned advice". Chambers and Partners 2025 a client said: "Sean is a very good and precise technician."

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Back Story

Sean was born and raised in South America and Canada. After completing high school in Ontario, Sean moved to London and studied microbiology gaining a BSc from Imperial College and a PhD from Cambridge University. 

Sean studied law at the College of Law gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Law. He then trained at Slaughter & May qualifying as a solicitor in England & Wales in 2003. After qualification he established the technology transfer office at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. In 2007 he returned to private practice in the intellectual property department at Osborne Clarke where he helped establish the life sciences practice group. 

In 2011 he moved to Mewburn Ellis to establish its Legal Services department. He joined the partnership in 2014.

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Personal

Sean is married with two teenage daughters. He is an avid outdoors person enjoying a range of physical activities. He can be found most weekends surfing at one of Britain’s many beautiful beaches or the Wavegarden near Bristol. Sean has a serious issue regarding how much tea he drinks.

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