Simon Portman
Simon specialises as a commercial contract lawyer for technology companies. He works for clients in the electronics, bioscience, defence, software and nanotech industries, advising companies ranging from small start-ups to big multinationals as well as individuals, public bodies and charities.
He advises on a wide range of contracts, including licenses, R&D collaborations, manufacturing agreements and procurement documentation. On the regulatory front he has advised on compliance with clinical trials legislation and novel food applications, as well as freedom of information and data protection issues.
Simon has co-written two business textbooks, Commercial Issues for Life Science Companies and Intellectual Property: the Lifeblood of your Company and has contributed articles to numerous publications, including the Financial Times, Patent World and Managing Intellectual Property. He regularly gives seminars and workshops at pharmaceutical conferences in the UK and internationally. He was also part of a UK IPO steering group putting together policies and contracts suitable for R&D collaborations in China.
Prior to joining Marks & Clerk Solicitors in March 2009 Simon trained at a London law firm (where his training included secondment to the petrochemical industry) and subsequently worked at one of Cambridge’s leading commercial practices. Simon spearheads the Cambridge branch of Marks & Clerk Solicitors.