Welcome to IP STARS.
Managing IP is delighted to reveal the IP STARS 2021 rankings of the leading law firms for copyright and related rights work. Most of the law firms we recognised this year have dealt with contentious and non-contentious work across a range of creative industries, including software and entertainment.
Below you will find information about the copyright rankings, our research methodology and what to expect next.
IP STARS is an exclusive rankings publication: we do not rank all firms and individuals offering IP services.
Congratulations to all the firms ranked this year.
Jurisdictions covered
This year’s copyright rankings cover more than 40 jurisdictions, some of which are featured below. For these jurisdictions, our research analysts evaluated and ranked firms for both contentious and non-contentious work.
To check if a firm has been ranked this year for copyright, enter the firm’s name in the search bar or use the regional navigation menu above to select the jurisdiction (click on 'Rankings' to see the 2021 firm rankings).
These are the final firm rankings for the 2021 edition of IP STARS. Read about the other firm rankings we have published this year here.
AMERICAS
United States (National) rankings*
*We also have copyright rankings for the following states: California, District of Columbia, and New York.
ASIA-PACIFIC
EUROPE
What to expect next
We started publishing the IP STARS 2021 rankings in March. The copyright rankings are the final firm rankings for the 2021 edition of IP STARS. Managing IP’s 2021 Rising Stars list and Corporate IP Stars list will be published in September.
We also have client testimonials/firm reviews to update and publish over the coming weeks and they will be done on a priority basis.
Follow our ranking updates here.
The research for IP STARS rankings and MIP Awards 2022
Any research information not considered or used for this year’s edition will be used for the 2022 edition. We will start the research for the 2022 edition of the IP STARS rankings and Managing IP Awards in September 2021. The submission deadline is November 1 2021.
Learn more about our research here.
About IP STARS
Managing IP published its first legal directory in 1994 and rebranded it in 2013 as IP STARS. The publication quickly established itself as the leading specialist guide to IP law firms and practitioners worldwide. The research for IP STARS covers a variety of IP practice areas and more than 70 jurisdictions, making it the most comprehensive and widely respected guide in the IP profession.
Research methodology
The research for our rankings is conducted rigorously and impartially by a team of research analysts in London, New York, and Hong Kong. Each year we request information from thousands of firms, IP practitioners and their clients through interviews, email, and online surveys. Before compiling our rankings, we review relevant publicly available information as well as the previous data we hold on firms.
The aspects assessed for the firm rankings include expertise, workload, market reputation/record, outcomes achieved for clients, and unique strengths in each practice area.
Judgements about which firms to include in the rankings, and which tier and practice area they should be in, take account of all this information. Firms are ranked alphabetically in tiers, or as highly recommended or recommended. The total number of firms listed varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
For the copyright and related rights rankings, our analysts evaluated non-contentious and contentious work across all copyright-based industries, including entertainment, media, and software. Notably, most of the firms ranked also demonstrated that they can advise rights holders and users on complex copyright-related issues in the modern digital era.
The rankings are based on information available at the time the core research was completed. Except for firm name changes, any subsequent developments or information that could influence our rankings will be considered during the research for the 2022 edition of IP STARS, which starts in September 2021. However, Managing IP reserves the right to remove a firm or individual from our website at any time.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ranking tables do not suggest or indicate that the expertise or services of the listed firms are limited to the practice area in question. Managing IP does not recommend or endorse any practitioner or firm for IP work. Please read the terms of use concerning our content here.
The IP STARS rankings are not influenced by any commercial relationship, including advertising, with Managing IP or IP STARS. There is no fee to pay to participate in our research. No firm or practitioner can pay to be ranked. Participation in our research does not guarantee ranking. The rankings are subject to change each year. Learn more about the practice areas and methodology here.
Please contact us via email if you have information or feedback concerning our rankings or content.