The WTR 1000 recommends who it considers to be the leaders in the field: only those delivering top-quality trademark services make the cut. However, even among this elite group, in many markets it is possible to discern a degree of stratification.

While all firms and individuals included in this guide have made the winners’ podium, some are considered to have an edge over their competitors in terms of reputation; we have thus devised banding to reflect this diversity at the top end of the market.

Where appropriate, recommendations in the WTR 1000 are presented in gold, silver and bronze bands. Elsewhere, they are presented in single unbanded groups of recommended partnerships and practitioners. The bands reflect the reputations of teams and professionals relative to their peers in the field, according to research carried out by The IP Media Group.

Gold
Firms and individuals in the gold band are those that attract the most positive comments from sources. We have identified them as the crème de la crème; their success hinges on reputations established over lengthy periods of time, something which enables them to secure the most highprofile, big-ticket work from the most demanding of clients.

Silver
These eminent practices and individuals also attract extensive feedback and are renowned for their top-end work. However, the consensus from commentators is that for whatever reason – less specialised, newer to the marketplace, smaller client base and so on – their reputations and their visibility in the trademark sphere do not quite match those at the apex.

Bronze
Like their gold and silver peers, those designated bronze are highly praised by sources and are among the most competitive in the field. However, while those included in the bronze band are uniformly strong, their profiles are typically somewhat lower for trademark work than those of their competitors in the gold and silver bands.