About Us

Empowering Innovation Through IP Since 1999
Welcome to the About Us page for Stratagem. If you’re looking to understand who we are, what we do, and why businesses choose us as their intellectual property partner, you’re in the right place.
At Stratagem, our story is rooted in a mission that began over two decades ago — to make IP protection more strategic, more commercial, and more accessible for growing businesses. In 1999, our founder Nicola Baker-Munton recognised that businesses, especially in the biotechnology sector, needed more than legal advice. They needed clear, commercially focused guidance on how to turn innovation into long-term value.
That belief laid the foundation for Stratagem. Nicola combined her legal IP background with hands-on commercial experience to launch a new kind of IP firm — one that would act as a partner, not just a provider.
Since then, Stratagem has grown into a trusted advisor for clients across a wide range of sectors, including life sciences, physical sciences, technology, consumer goods, engineering, and advanced materials. Our team has expanded, our services have evolved, and our reach has gone global — but our core purpose remains the same: helping innovative businesses protect and unlock the value of their ideas.
This About Us story isn’t just about where we started — it’s about what we do today. Whether you’re a startup applying for your first patent or a multinational aligning your trade mark strategy across global markets, we work as an extension of your team. We deliver strategic IP solutions that support investment, growth, and competitive advantage.
We pride ourselves on cutting through complexity and simplifying the IP journey. That means plain-English advice, commercially smart thinking, and a proactive approach to your goals.
Our About Us page is more than a company timeline — it’s a reflection of how we put client success at the centre of everything we do.
A Legacy That Shapes our Future
Every “About Us” story is shaped by the people behind it, and ours is no exception. In 2024, we lost our founder, Nicola Baker-Munton, whose vision and leadership remains at the heart of everything we do at Stratagem. Her legacy lives on not only through the clients she supported and the team she built, but through the values and principles that continue to guide us today.
Our 2025 rebrand is more than a visual update — it is a meaningful evolution of Nicola’s legacy. It honours her belief that intellectual property should be a strategic enabler of innovation, not a barrier.
Nicola was known for cutting through legal complexity, challenging the status quo, and delivering IP strategies that made a tangible difference to her clients’ commercial outcomes. Her ability to blend legal precision with commercial clarity is the foundation on which Stratagem still operates.
As you explore this About Us page, you’ll see how her ethos continues to shape our approach — collaborative, client-first, and commercially focused. Our team is united by the same mission Nicola started in 1999: to provide smart, agile IP advice that empowers businesses at every stage of growth.
Whether you’re protecting a new invention, resolving a trade mark dispute, or preparing your IP portfolio for investment, we’re here to guide you with the same dedication, clarity, and commercial intelligence Nicola brought to every client conversation.
Her legacy is not just in our history — it’s in our future. And it’s in the way we work every day to help businesses convert IP into growth.
A Fresh Approach, Rooted in Expertise
At Stratagem, our “About Us” story isn’t just about where we’ve been — it’s about how we work today to deliver value where it matters most. In a world where intellectual property can feel overwhelming, we bring clarity. We start by listening — to your ideas, your goals, and your concerns.
Then we respond with pragmatic advice and confident action, guided by decades of specialist experience and a commitment to integrity.
Our IP services are built around your commercial success. We don’t just file patents or register trade marks — we help you turn innovation into long-term value through strategic, joined-up thinking. Every recommendation we make is shaped by your priorities, timelines, and ambitions.
Our work is structured into four core areas of specialism — each one delivered by a dedicated team of experts who understand your sector, your challenges, and your market:
IP Strategy
Patents
Trade Marks
IP Legal Services
Who We Work With
When clients ask “What’s different about us?”, the answer lies in who we work with — and how we help them thrive. From early-stage startups to established global businesses, we partner with organisations that value intellectual property as a commercial asset, not just a legal safeguard.
At Stratagem, we provide tailored IP support to businesses across four core industry sectors:
- Life Sciences – From biotech spinouts to clinical-stage pharma companies, we help innovators protect research, navigate regulatory hurdles, and secure strategic IP portfolios.
- Physical Sciences & Technology – Whether you’re developing next-gen engineering solutions, photonics systems, or software-integrated devices, we align your IP with your R&D and market strategy.
- Chemical Innovations – We work with companies in chemicals, materials science, and sustainable technologies to secure robust, multi-jurisdictional patent protection and manage high-stakes commercial agreements.
- Consumer Goods – From beauty brands and training services to FMCG suppliers and food tech disruptors, we help businesses protect their trade marks, product designs, and IP across global supply chains.
No matter your industry or size, our approach remains the same: simplify the complex, communicate with clarity, and deliver results. We act as a strategic extension of your team, embedding intellectual property into your business model so you can innovate with confidence and scale with protection in place.
Want to know more about us and the industries we support? Let’s talk about how Stratagem can add value to your IP strategy.
Why Choose Stratagem?
Not just IP providers, we’re strategic partners
The time it takes to shape a strong intellectual property strategy depends on the complexity of your business, the maturity of your existing IP portfolio, and the clarity of your commercial goals. For many businesses, the initial strategy can be developed within a few weeks, particularly once we have a clear picture of your innovation pipeline, competitive landscape, and future plans.
But implementation is not a one-off task — it’s an ongoing process. As your business grows, enters new markets, or secures funding, your strategy should evolve to keep pace. At Stratagem, our approach to intellectual property strategy is both structured and agile — designed to deliver clarity quickly, while flexing with your business as new opportunities and challenges emerge.
The right IP decisions
The truth about us? We’re not here to file just for the sake of filing.
At Stratagem, we believe that every IP decision should be guided by strategy — not assumption. Many firms focus solely on the mechanics of securing patents or trade marks. We go further, asking the right questions before you invest time and money: Will this protection add real commercial value? Does it align with your long-term business goals? Is there a better way to strengthen your market position?
If the answer is no, we’ll tell you — transparently and early. Because good IP advice isn’t just about rights. It’s about making smart decisions that protect your business, maximise return on investment, and create long-term value.
That’s the difference in working with a team that treats IP as a strategic tool — not just a legal formality. It’s also a reflection of what sets Stratagem apart. Want to know more about us and how we help businesses make the right call on IP protection? Let’s talk.
Translating complexity into clarity
One of the most important things to know about us? We believe clarity is power.
Intellectual property is a world filled with technical jargon, obscure rules, and complex legal processes. For many businesses, navigating it can feel overwhelming. That’s where we come in.
At Stratagem, we translate complexity into confidence. Our team takes the time to explain every step — from patent filings to trade mark strategy — in plain English, with real-world context and clear commercial relevance. No legalese, no guesswork. Just straight-talking advice that helps you understand what’s happening, why it matters, and how to move forward with purpose.
Our clients choose us not only for our expertise, but because they trust us to guide them through unfamiliar territory with transparency, simplicity, and a steady hand. Want to know more about us and how we work? It starts with a conversation — and a commitment to making your IP journey clearer and more empowering than ever before.
Freeing up your time
One of the most valuable things about us? We give you your time back.
Managing intellectual property can be time-consuming, especially when you’re balancing innovation, investment, product development, and growth. But IP management shouldn’t be a distraction — it should be a driver of commercial success. That’s why we take care of the details, so you can focus on what matters most: scaling your business and seizing new opportunities.
Whether you need full-service portfolio management or support on a specific patent, trade mark, or legal issue, we act as a seamless extension of your team. We coordinate deadlines, liaise with global agents, maintain accurate records, and ensure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes — all while keeping you fully informed, in control, and protected.
If you’re looking to learn more about us and what defines us: pragmatic support, strategic thinking, and the freedom for you to concentrate on growth — not red tape.
Balancing legal expertise with commercial awareness
What sets us apart isn’t just legal knowledge — it’s the way we blend legal precision with commercial insight. Intellectual property should never exist in a vacuum. At Stratagem, we see IP as a tool for growth, investment, and strategic advantage — not just a legal formality.
Our team doesn’t just understand patents, trade marks, and legal frameworks — we understand business. We’ve worked in-house, supported start-ups, advised multinational corporations, and helped clients at every stage of the innovation lifecycle. That commercial perspective is baked into everything we do.
It’s this balance that defines our approach. We help you align your IP strategy with your broader business objectives — whether that means attracting investors, preparing for acquisition, entering new markets, or simply protecting your competitive edge.
If your intellectual property isn’t working hard for your business, we’ll show you how to change that.
We’re in it for the long haul
If you want a quick fix, we may not be the right partner. But if you’re looking for long-term strategic IP support from people who genuinely care about your success, welcome to Stratagem.
We’re not here just to file a patent or register a trade mark and disappear. We build enduring relationships with our clients — often starting at the early stages of innovation and continuing through growth, expansion, investment, and exit. Whether you’re a startup protecting your first invention or a global enterprise optimising a complex IP portfolio, our advice evolves as your business does.
Learn more about us and you’ll discover a team that values consistency, continuity, and trust. We don’t just solve today’s IP challenges — we help you plan for tomorrow. That means revisiting strategy when needed, adapting to new opportunities, and making sure your intellectual property continues to drive long-term commercial value.
With Stratagem, you get a partner for the whole journey — not just a one-off project.
Our Mission
What is Stratagem’s Mission?
Our mission is simple: to be the strategic IP partner that innovative businesses trust to unlock the full value of their ideas. We believe intellectual property should do more than sit in a filing cabinet — it should drive investment, fuel growth, and strengthen market position.
When clients ask about us and what drives our work, we point to this mission. It guides how we advise, how we collaborate, and how we measure success — not just by the patents or trade marks we file, but by the commercial impact those IP rights deliver.
Whether you’re developing breakthrough technology, launching a new product, or building a valuable brand, we’re here to help you protect it, leverage it, and grow with confidence.
Our Vision
What is Stratagem’s vision?
Our vision is a future where every innovative business is empowered by its intellectual property — not overwhelmed by it. We want to see a world where IP is accessible, strategic, and commercially valuable for companies of all sizes, across every sector.
We’re not just about filing patents or registering trade marks. We’re about helping businesses transform innovation into commercial advantage — supporting founders, entrepreneurs, and R&D leaders as they grow, scale, and lead in their industries.
We see IP as a tool for progress. And through our work, we aim to make IP smarter, simpler, and more powerful — so innovation can thrive.
Our Values
Our clients’ success is our success
What sets Stratagem apart? It’s not just what we do — it’s how we do it. When people want to know more about us, they quickly discover that our values are deeply rooted in partnership, trust, and long-term thinking.
We believe that intellectual property should serve your business, not the other way around. That’s why we take the time to listen, ask the right questions, and fully understand your goals before offering advice. We don’t just file patents or register trade marks — we help shape strategies that deliver measurable impact.
Our success is measured by yours. Whether it’s securing funding, launching a new product, entering new markets, or preparing for acquisition, we’re proud to play a part in the milestones that matter most to your business.
These values aren’t just words on a page — they guide every decision we make and every relationship we build. And they’ve earned us the trust of innovative businesses across the UK and beyond.
We make a positive difference
At Stratagem, we believe IP should be a force for progress — not paperwork. We bring energy, focus, and determination to every client challenge, driven by the belief that great IP advice delivers real-world results. Whether we’re helping you secure your first trade mark or negotiating a complex international agreement, our goal is always the same: to make a tangible, positive difference to your business.
This approach is what defines us. It’s part of what makes the story of Stratagem more than just a company history. It’s a reflection of our values in action.
We do the right thing
When clients ask about us, one thing becomes clear: integrity is non-negotiable. At Stratagem, doing the right thing isn’t just a value — it’s a commitment woven into every decision we make and every piece of advice we give.
We believe in open, honest communication. That means being upfront about risks, clear about costs, and realistic about outcomes — even when it’s not what someone might want to hear. We don’t overpromise or oversell. Instead, we focus on building trust through transparency and delivering advice you can rely on.
Our clients depend on us for more than legal expertise — they count on us to act in their best interests. Whether we’re advising on an investment-critical patent, drafting a licensing agreement, or helping resolve a brand dispute, we stand by our principles: honesty, professionalism, and putting your business first.
It’s not just about compliance. It’s about character — and it’s a big part of what defines us.
We’re fuelled by curiosity
If you want to know what sets us apart, just ask — and you’ll hear that curiosity is in our DNA. We don’t settle for surface-level answers or one-size-fits-all thinking. Instead, we dig deep, ask the right questions, and explore every angle to fully understand your innovation, your business, and your goals.
Our curiosity drives better results. It’s what helps us spot commercial opportunities others might miss, anticipate legal and market challenges, and craft smarter, more strategic IP solutions. Whether we’re navigating a complex patent application or advising on global brand protection, we bring fresh thinking and a hunger to keep learning — about your industry, your competitors, and the fast-changing IP landscape.
We stay curious so you don’t have to. Our team keeps up with case law, emerging technologies, and evolving commercial practices so you always benefit from informed, forward-thinking advice. It’s this mindset that powers everything we do — and ensures our IP guidance is never static, but always moving your business forward.
Enough about us – Let’s Talk
You’ve read enough about us — now let’s talk about what matters most: your business, your goals, and your intellectual property. Whether you’re launching your first innovation, expanding into new markets, or refining your IP strategy, we’re here to help.
Looking for a trusted IP partner who listens, simplifies, and delivers results? Let’s start a conversation.
Tel: +44 (0)1223 550740
Want to know more or to explore how we work? We’d be happy to share how our IP experts can support your growth.