Sally Shorthose
As one of our firm's most experienced intellectual property partners, specialising in transactional IP matters, Sally offers a wealth of knowledge to businesses at the cutting edge of research, development and technology, in a variety of sectors for which IP is of prime importance.
As a transactional IP lawyer, Sally provides advice on the protection and exploitation of IP rights, both in standalone transactions and as part of acquisition, divestment or investment activity. She leads the team delivering licensing, partnering and exploitation agreements, and research, development and marketing collaborations. She also advises our clients on regulatory and 'freedom to operate' issues and manage significant due diligence matters. Sally is joint head of the International Life Sciences Regulatory Group.
Before joining Bird & Bird in 2006, Sally was head of IP & Life Sciences at another global law firm, after spending 11 years in-house firstly as senior legal adviser at ICI/Zeneca and latterly as Legal Director of Novartis UK. This experience has given her significant insight into the need for pragmatic commercial advice.
As well as speaking on IP generally, and regulatory life sciences topics particularly, Sally contributes to leading publications, and she co-edits The Guide to EU Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law (Kluwer Law International), which is written entirely by the team at Bird & Bird with contributions from many offices.
Sally was named a Global Elite Thought Leader in the 2025 Whos Who Legal/Lexology Index Healthcare & Life Sciences report.