Finnegan Hires Kirkland Partner as It Eyes UK Growth

Jin Ooi joined Finnegan on June 8^th, further expanding its global patent litigation capabilities and reinforcing its strategic focus on Europe.

Jin joins as a partner in the London office and focuses on patent litigation and disputes in the life sciences sector, with particular experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device matters. He is known for handling complex, high-stakes disputes and coordinating parallel proceedings across jurisdictions, including the UK and Europe.

Speaking exclusively to Managing Intellectual Property, Jin said he’s excited to join a firm where, “IP is at the core of everything they do.” He added, “There’s a different philosophy to joining an IP-focused firm. In that environment, you talk about IP all the time. Sometimes, at a full-service firm, IP is the flavor of the month, but at another time of year, it might not be at the forefront of business.”

Jin’s arrival aligns with growing client demand for coordinated global litigation strategies. According to Darren Jiron, managing partner of Finnegan’s London office, clients are increasingly facing disputes that require seamless coordination across the UK, U.S., and Europe. The firm expects Jin to play a key role in delivering that approach and strengthening its global litigation offering.

Ryan O’Quinn, leader of Finnegan’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical practice group in the U.S., also emphasized the shift toward global disputes.

“The complexity of disputes is increasing, and clients are demanding a global approach, including considering whether to launch concurrent proceedings in the EPO and Unified Patent Court,” said Ryan. “We have been making Europe a strategic goal. We want the same breadth on the continent as we have in the U.S.”

Darren mentioned that growth is in the UK office’s sights, suggesting an ideal figure would be to double the firm’s UK litigation capacity in the next few years.

He added that Jin’s experience in managing parallel proceedings and advising on complex IP and commercial issues will further strengthen the firm’s ability to serve clients “where they need us most.”

Looking ahead, Jin said the UPC, including its ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ and where the “UPC ends and the UK starts” is a key focus.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my UK litigation expertise, but also my experience in parallel coordination around Europe and beyond,” Jin added. “We have lofty ambitions in the UK and Europe, and I am looking forward to seeing that through.”

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