International law firm Bird & Bird has expanded its team in Ireland with confirmation of the appointment of intellectual-property (IP) and data lawyer Ann Henry.

She starts at the firm on 1 February. Her appointment as partner was first signalled last year.

Henry represents international companies in pan-European litigation, particularly in the areas of patent litigation and data-privacy disputes in the life-sciences, technology, and retail sectors.

Growing practice

Bird & Bird says that she will work closely with IP and tech litigator Michael Finn, data-protection expert Anna Morgan, and regulatory and public-affairs director Francine Cunningham in Ireland.

Henry will also work with Bird & Bird’s IP, data, and UPC (Unified Patent Court) teams across Europe.

The firm says that a key part of her role will be to develop the firm’s growing practice in the areas of personal and general data litigation in Bird & Bird’s Ireland office – including regulatory compliance and company-to-company data litigation.

Sally Shorthose (IP and life-sciences partner, Bird & Bird Ireland/UK) described Henry as “one of the leading IP, life-sciences and data litigators in Ireland”.