Simon Portman

About me

Simon specialises as a commercial contract lawyer for technology companies. He works for clients in the electronics, bioscience, defence, software, nanotech and creative industries, advising companies ranging from small start-ups to big multinationals as well as individuals, public bodies and charities. Nordic clients form a significant part of his practice.

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

He heads the firm’s Extended Reality team and in that capacity supplies specialist advice and training to members of XR organisations such as Immerse UK and XR Nation.

Prior to joining Marks & Clerk Law 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 Law. He is a member of the industry groups One Nucleus and Cambridge Network.

Simon has been recognised as a leading practitioner in Who’s Who Legal: Life Sciences 2019 and a rising star by Managing Intellectual Property, IP Stars, 2018.

Simon is a Guest Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, teaching IP within the MPhil in Therapeutic Sciences.