Glasgow IP company Murgitroyd expands global horizons by snapping up Irish peer

Glasgow-headquartered intellectual property (IP) company Murgitroyd has swooped on an Irish-based European patent and trade mark attorney firm, a move it says maintains its international expansion strategy.

Dublin-based Hanna Moore + Curley (HMC) specialises in obtaining IP protection for sectors including life sciences, electronic and technology-led companies, while it also has a presence in China, which expands Murgitroyd’s global reach in the Far East.

The latter business said the acquisition adds specialist attorney technical expertise and develops its pan-European presence, complementing services offered through its existing offices in the UK, Germany, Italy, Ireland, France, Switzerland and Finland.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed – and it was confirmed that the businesses’ Dublin offices will be consolidated with no loss of jobs, and receive investment to expand. It comes after Murgitroyd was in 2019 bought for £62.8 million by Sovereign Capital Partners.

'HMC will strengthen our reach within Europe and our presence in the Far East,' says Murgitroyd boss Gordon Stark. Picture: Iain McLean.

Murgitroyd chief executive Gordon Stark said acquiring HMC “advances Murgitroyd’s strategic ambition to grow the business in Europe, broaden support for our North American corporate clients and add a new dimension to our business development in Asia”.

He added: “HMC is a highly regarded and progressive IP business and the integration of our Dublin offices will enhance client services and future business-development.

“To meet emerging intellectual property demands and anticipate the challenges facing local, national and international clients, many of whom are at the leading edge in their fields, we are increasing the scale and depth of our technical knowledge and expertise and expanding our global footprint.

Barry Moore of HMC believes joining forces with Murgitroyd 'will accelerate our growth ambitions'. Picture: contributed.

“HMC will strengthen our reach within Europe and our presence in the Far East – a region that continues to be of increasing interest to our clients – and brings on board a very talented team that will add specialist knowledge in the electronics, software and digital sectors.”

Barry Moore of HMC said: “We have grown our business steadily and successfully since 2003 and we now believe that joining forces with Murgitroyd will accelerate our growth ambitions.

“We look forward to offering our clients the broader range and scope of intellectual property services that being part of a larger practice brings.”

Murgitroyd's IP business was established in Glasgow in 1975, and it has grown to 15 bases in Europe, four client liaison offices in the US, and an outpost handling patent searching in Nicaragua.

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