What we do

  • Litigation including mass torts and class actions
  • Commercial services
  • Intellectual property
  • Commercial disputes
  • Corporate mergers and acquisitions
  • Health and safety
  • Regulatory and environment
  • Competition and compliance
  • Carbon trading
  • Energy - electricity & renewables and oil & gas.

Examples of work

UK

  • Advising a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products on a service level agreement for intragroup carbon trading. This involved drafting and negotiation of carbon trading documentation with various counterparties as well as advice on the carbon reduction commitment (CRC), in connection with various UK and international facilities
  • Advising Chemoxy International on the purchase of the contract manufacture and custom processing business of Dow Chemical Company and subsequently helping the business to secure growth capital from the Business Growth Fund
  • Advising Innovia Films on the remediation and sale of a former chemical manufacturing facility. This involved the sale of a former chemical manufacturing facility at Bridgwater, Somerset for redevelopment. We advised on the property, planning, engineering and environmental and safety aspects of the project
  • Advising on the outsourcing of on-site product handling and shipping functions for Lotte Chemical UK’s PET resin operations. Our work involved drafting and negotiating a terminal services agreement and freight services agreement, advising on the documentation for the construction of an operating terminal for the services to be provided and the lease of part of the site
  • Advising a UK equity house on environmental liabilities in the purchase of a chemical manufacturing business, including assisting in the transfer of environmental permits. 

US

  • Lead counsel defending international chemical manufacturer against EPA and third-party claims in Superfund case in Rhode Island
  • As lead counsel, defended class action in North Carolina involving claims against major refiner/distributor of gasoline for wrongful death, personal injury, property damage and medical monitoring based on alleged exposure to benzene through air emissions and groundwater contamination. Defeated class certification and thereafter resolved individual claims to our client’s advantage 
  • Represented a multinational chemical company in negotiating a multi-million-dollar technology licensing agreement with a European-based technology provider, to facilitate client’s manufacture of methanol from natural gas, and propylene from methanol, in connection with the company’s largest capital investment in North America
  • Lead counsel defending an international oil and gas perforating company in three intellectual property litigations against its primary competitor in the notoriously patent-friendly Eastern District of Texas. The patented technology involved reactive liners that undergo an exothermic reaction and the attorneys on the team addressed complicated intermetallic reactions and the use of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Two of the cases went to a jury trial, where our client obtained complete defense verdicts (findings of noninfringement and invalidity), and the third case was decided by the USPTO which found the patent was invalid after an inter partes review proceeding.

With multi-jurisdictional experience and knowledge across a range of sectors both in the UK and the US, our team of chemical lawyers here at Womble Bond Dickinson are dedicated to helping clients thrive in their manufacturing and commercial space.

From start-ups to global corporations, our team of lawyers are on-hand to help clients with everything from day-to-day legal advice to large-scale issues management, offering an efficient and integrated service to all clients.

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We want to help our clients be as successful as they can be, while managing risk and costs. 

Chemical companies share complex supply chains, operate in high hazard environments, and are subject to an ever-increasing regulatory burden. We’re here to make sure none of that slows your business down. 

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About Us

A dedicated transatlantic team

We’re proud to be one of the few firms in the US and UK with a dedicated chemicals sector team stacked with experienced lawyers able to address your needs across the entire business cycle. Our experience extends across the full breadth of the industry, with unparalleled insight into key sub sectors including agrochemical and petrochemical.  

In the US, we provide clients with litigators who are as familiar with the chemical industry as they are with the courtroom. We represent clients in federal, state and administrative courts on civil and criminal matters. We have a wealth of experience representing chemical companies in environmental and toxic torts as well as in products liability cases and intellectual property and commercial disputes.  

In the US and UK, we support chemical companies in negotiating often complex commercial arrangements with suppliers, distributors, customers, and other commercial partners with a view towards allocating risk in accordance with industry standards. When our clients expand through mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures we assemble cross-practice teams with deep chemical industry experience to facilitate a successful transaction. 

Intellectual property, real estate and more

We also offer exceptional counsel in the US and UK in nearly every aspect of intellectual property law. Our lawyers advise on strategic and complex technology transactions, licensing, patent protection, portfolio analysis, and other contentious and transactional intellectual property matters including post-grant review proceedings at the USPTO. We also represent clients in patent and trademark litigation, as well as matters related to product and process development. 

This team is also prepared to manage your real estate matters. Whether it’s a construction or engineering project, complex site or property matter, our lawyers will provide you with legal clarity and a practical approach that balances risk and business goals.  

Our lawyers deliver results because they’ve taken the time to truly invest in your industry. They have a real practical and commercial understanding of what it takes for you to be successful, making them exactly the kind of legal adviser you want at your side. 

What We Do

  • Litigation including mass torts and class actions
  • Commercial services
  • Intellectual property
  • Commercial disputes
  • Corporate mergers and acquisitions
  • Health and safety
  • Regulatory and environment
  • Competition and compliance
  • Carbon trading
  • Energy - electricity & renewables and oil & gas.

Our expertise in chemical industry law

As the chemicals industry continues to face intense regulation in all matters of health and safety, emissions, supply chain obligations, labour laws, product restrictions and more, we are able to provide clients with an unparalleled insight into all sub sectors of the chemical industry to give practical and beneficial legal solutions. Whether you’re struggling to safely navigate the regulatory burdens of your industry specialism, need assistance with chemical engineering patent law to protect your intellectual property, or are looking for innovative ways to limit risks without increasing costs, our team is ready to help.

Chemicals industry law services

With both a commercial and legal understanding of how businesses become successful within the chemical industry, our lawyers will work alongside clients to provide the most accurate and beneficial services including:

  • Representing chemical companies in environmental cases, product liability cases and intellectual property and commercial disputes
  • Advising on strategic and complex technology transactions
  • Offering legal clarity in the process of production development
  • Helping to put in place tax-efficient structures and advising on accessing global debt and equity markets
  • Advising on patent protection, trademarks and licensing in alignment with regulatory requirements, with assistance from our dedicated chemical patent lawyers
  • Negotiating with contractors and third parties
  • Help managing real estate matters in construction or engineering projects
  • Offering litigation support including class action and mass tort litigation
  • Advising on all health and safety requirements within chemical businesses
  • Supporting clients in both commercial and corporate disputes.

If you’re looking for more legal clarity on matters within the chemicals industry or in need of a lawyer to represent you in court, whether that be in civil or criminal matters, get in touch with our lawyers today and browse our professional staff to find out how we can provide you with practical approaches to your business goals.

What we do

  • Litigation including mass torts and class actions
  • Commercial services
  • Intellectual property
  • Commercial disputes
  • Corporate mergers and acquisitions
  • Health and safety
  • Regulatory and environment
  • Competition and compliance
  • Carbon trading
  • Energy - electricity & renewables and oil & gas
In need of a chemical industry lawyer? Look no further.
At Womble Bond Dickinson we have an exceptional team of talented lawyers and business professionals who can offer guidance and find the solutions right for your business. We have both broad and niche expertise across all our UK and US offices.
Need legal advice and guidance in chemicals?
Our team is able to help provide solutions to you and your organization. Browse through our lawyers and professional staff to find the right attorney near you.

Examples of our work and how we’ve helped companies of all sizes with a wide range of challenges.

    US

    • Lead counsel defending international chemical manufacturer against EPA and third-party claims in Superfund case in Rhode Island
    • As lead counsel, defended class action in North Carolina involving claims against major refiner/distributor of gasoline for wrongful death, personal injury, property damage and medical monitoring based on alleged exposure to benzene through air emissions and groundwater contamination. Defeated class certification and thereafter resolved individual claims to our client’s advantage 
    • Represented a multinational chemical company in negotiating a multi-million-dollar technology licensing agreement with a European-based technology provider, to facilitate client’s manufacture of methanol from natural gas, and propylene from methanol, in connection with the company’s largest capital investment in North America
    • Lead counsel defending an international oil and gas perforating company in three intellectual property litigations against its primary competitor in the notoriously patent-friendly Eastern District of Texas. The patented technology involved reactive liners that undergo an exothermic reaction and the attorneys on the team addressed complicated intermetallic reactions and the use of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Two of the cases went to a jury trial, where our client obtained complete defense verdicts (findings of noninfringement and invalidity), and the third case was decided by the USPTO which found the patent was invalid after an inter partes review proceeding.

    UK

    • Advising a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products on a service level agreement for intragroup carbon trading. This involved drafting and negotiation of carbon trading documentation with various counterparties as well as advice on the carbon reduction commitment (CRC), in connection with various UK and international facilities
    • Advising Chemoxy International on the purchase of the contract manufacture and custom processing business of Dow Chemical Company and subsequently helping the business to secure growth capital from the Business Growth Fund
    • Advising Innovia Films on the remediation and sale of a former chemical manufacturing facility. This involved the sale of a former chemical manufacturing facility at Bridgwater, Somerset for redevelopment. We advised on the property, planning, engineering and environmental and safety aspects of the project
    • Advising on the outsourcing of on-site product handling and shipping functions for Lotte Chemical UK’s PET resin operations. Our work involved drafting and negotiating a terminal services agreement and freight services agreement, advising on the documentation for the construction of an operating terminal for the services to be provided and the lease of part of the site
    • Advising a UK equity house on environmental liabilities in the purchase of a chemical manufacturing business, including assisting in the transfer of environmental permits.