Our Team

Our team comprises outstanding lawyers as well as leading experts from specific industry sectors. We assemble the right team for every piece of work, based on experience, expertise and knowledge of a specific industry sector. For cross-border work, our global associates will be on hand to give specific advice in relation to their jurisdiction.

Key members of our UK legal team include:

Dr Rosanna Cooper: Solicitor; Attorney-at-Law; FCIArb – International Arbitration; MCIArb Accredited Mediator; PhD; BSc (Hons); CSci CChem MRSC; CChem FRSC; Dip IP Law and Practice (Bristol)

Dr Cooper is the head of RT Coopers. She is also the head of our life sciences and product regulatory law department. She practices commercial law on a day to day basis although highly regarded as a leading expert in product regulatory law, life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical law. Her experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and life sciences include include advising and assisting companies in connection with the legal and regulatory aspects of medicines and vaccines including advice and assistance with research and development, protection, manufacture, supply and distribution of innovative medicines, antimicrobial resistance medicines, rare diseases and orphan drugs. She also advises on legal and regulatory issues surrounding clinical trials (having first hand experience in running clinical trials in industry), medical devices, AI technology to determine the mechanisms of novel drugs, novel therapies, the patenting of technologies and licensing of medicines and vaccines. Dr Cooper specialises in:

REACH Chemicals;
Corporate and commercial law;
Intellectual property (IP);
Life sciences, biotechnology & pharmaceuticals including the development and licensing of vaccines and medicines; and
Consumer product regulatory law - biocidal products, food and drink, food supplements and herbal medicines
Academic Appeals in Higher Education and Appeals in Training

She is highly regarded as a leading expert in product regulatory law, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Some of her experience in product regulatory law includes, biocidal products, biocides, food and drink, food supplements and herbal medicines.

She is an exceptionally bright, talented, analytical, commercially savvy lawyer and is able to balance her practice areas with enthusiasm, passion and outstanding knowledge and expertise in those areas. Over the years, she has gained tremendous experience and expertise in higher education and professional training and advises clients within these areas. She has also developed a special interests in AI technology. Dr Cooper was a partner in a West End firm in London and a senior lawyer in the City of London before establishing RT Coopers. Dr Cooper studied for her Ph.D. in organic and medicinal chemistry at Kings College, University of London and pursued her postdoctoral research with SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline). She later worked as a senior pharmaceutical and paper chemist for Eli Lilly and Hercules respectively.

Dr Cooper has over 20 years' experience of advising clients on corporate and commercial law including IP in relation to a range of industry sectors including biotechnology & life sciences, pharmaceuticals, innovative medicines, diseases, food & drink and medical devices. Her role also extends to drafting, advising and negotiating commercial contracts, licences, joint ventures, cross border transactions, collaborations, mergers and acquisitions in relation to her expert areas. Dr Cooper advises small to medium sized enterprises and corporate clients.

Memberships: Dr Cooper is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and a Chartered Scientist; a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; an ex member of the International Editorial Board for the Pharmaceutical Development and Regulatory Journal; an ex member of the Advisory Panel for The Thames Valley Life Science Network.

Publications: Dr Cooper has written various publications and lectured globally. She has appeared on radio although a little shy for television, including BBC World Service Business News. She has also been involved with various global projects advising certain Governments in emerging markets.

Panels: Lexis Nexis Life Sciences Q&A panel.

Past Legal Employers: Hogan Lovells then Lovell White Durrant (Trainee), Dechert (then Titmus Sainer Dechert), Field Fisher Waterhouse and then Barlow Lyde & Gilbert.

Contact Dr Rosanna Cooper

Matthew Schrader LLB (Hons)

Matthew Schrader is the head of our intellectual property and media and entertainment department. Matthew acts as a consultant to RT Coopers. He has over 10 years' experience of advising clients and is an expert in:

Commercial law;
Intellectual property law;
IT and technology; and
Media and entertainment law.

He is one to watch for media and entertainment law as he has an in-depth knowledge of this industry sector and vast experience in all aspects of law relating to music and film. His experience in media and entertainment includes drafting and negotiating media contracts for the media and entertainment industry, including film, TV, music, theatre, dance and comedy. He is very analytical and has a real keen eye for IP law and a wealth of experience in this area.

In addition, he also has outstanding experience in the IT and technology industry sectors.

He has worked with a number of companies specialising in computing, software development/maintenance and web based solutions, as well as media and communications. He has assisted in advising software companies, web development companies and their clients on both contentious and non-contentious matters. In addition, he has extensive experience in intellectual property law and commercial contracts, drafting and negotiating a number of complex commercial agreements for clients across a wide variety of industry sectors.

Matthew has assisted RT Coopers on numerous projects in the past, including technology transfer, spin-out agreements and corporate law.

Membership: Solicitors Regulation Authority

Publications: Matthew has written various publications and lectures. He has appeared on television, advising on media and intellectual property.

Contact Matthew Schrader.

Carolyn Arnold BsocSc; LLB (University of Natal - South Africa); Diploma in Sports Law (Kings College University of London)

Carolyn is a qualified senior solicitor focusing on all aspects of commercial law with emphasis on intellectual property, media and entertainment and employment law. Carolyn is able to advise clients in both England and South Africa in relation to:

Commercial law
Intellectual property
Media and entertainment law
Sports law

Carolyn has experience in media and entertainment working with a range of companies, drafting and negotiating a number of commercial contracts such as licensing agreements, consultancy agreements, confidentiality agreements, sponsorship agreements, employment contracts, catering contracts, recording contracts, management agreements, venue hire agreements and endorsement agreements.

Carolyn is an exceptionally gifted lawyer.

Membership: South African Bar

Contact Carolyn Arnold.

Sophia Clarke LLB (Hons); LLM

Sophia Clarke is a qualified solicitor with extensive experience in intellectual property and corporate law. She acts as a consultant to RT Coopers. She has substantial experience in acquisitions such as brand acquisitions, acquisitions of restaurants and pharmaceutical companies. Her role extends to the protection, defence and management of the brands/trade marks of a global household food and nutrition retail company as well as all of their IPRs. Sophia also drafts academic appeals for students.

Food and Beverages
Intellectual Property
Mergers and Acquisitions
Academic Appeals in Higher Education

She also focuses on employment law advising employees and employers. Sophia obtained her LLM in intellectual property law from Queen Mary & Westfield College before attending Inns of Court School of Law. She trained at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP where she worked in Commercial Property, Corporate Commercial, Employment and IP Media Litigation before joining Nestle.

Past Employer: Nestle Ltd

Membership: Law Society

Contact Sophia Clarke.

Claudette Joseph LLB (Hons), Attorney at Law

Claudette acts as a consultant to the firm. She is an intellectual property expert with considerable experience in commercial law including litigation, contract drafting, trade marks and copyright. Her expertise lies in all aspects of IP law including advising and assisting clients in copyright, trade marks, know-how, designs and passing off.

Commercial law
Intellectual property
Litigation

Membership: Bar Association

Contact Claudette Joseph.

Ian Sandy LLB (Hons), Attorney at Law

Ian acts as a consultant to the firm. Ian has considerable experience in commercial law, which he gained when he worked as a senior lawyer with one of the leading firms in the British Virgin Islands. His areas of expertise include commercial law including commercial litigation, banking and company law and corporate law.

Commercial law
Commercial law
Company law
Corporate law

Membership: Bar Association

Contact Ian Sandy.

Kathryn Walton BA (Hons); SfEP:

Kathryn Walton acts as a trade mark specialist and proofreader for the firm on a consultancy basis. She is a bright, bubbly individual who radiates tremendous energy and warmth. She is also meticulous and extremely professional.

Managing world-wide trade mark portfolios for clients
Implementing the assignment of trade marks world-wide
Paralegal duties
Proofreading.

Kathryn has over 16 years’ experience in trade mark paralegal work working in large

City law firms and in the manufacturing industry where she workled in-house for a

global manufacturing company. She has a special expertise in managing and implementing the assignment of trade marks world-wide; an experienced proofreader and she has completed courses which have been sponsored by ITMA and SfEP in support of her experience.

Memberships: Student Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (“ITMA”) and Associate Member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (“SfEP”).

Contact Kathryn Walton

Key members of our US and Canadian legal team include:

Kelley M. Gilbert, JD BS

Kelley is a consultant to the firm specialising in intellectual property in a range of industry sectors including media and entertainment, information technology, life sciences and pharmaceuticals. Kelley has a technical degree in Computer Information Systems from Hampton University, and a J.D. from The John Marshall Law School. Kelley developed international intellectual property, life sciences and pharmaceuticals law experience by working in London for RT Coopers Solicitors. Kelley further gained experience working for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in Hsinchu, Taiwan in the IP Division. While working in Taiwan, Kelley worked on the acquisition of patent portfolios and international licensing agreements. In January 2008, Kelley joined RT Coopers LLP as a partner in Chicago, IL.

Commercial law
Intellectual property
Internet law
Media and entertainment

Kelley’s experience includes drafting and negotiating commercial contracts including joint ventures, collaborative agreements, shareholders agreements, Internet contracts, cross border corporate transactions, International licensing agreements, patent evaluations and opinions, trade mark filing and prosecutions, intellectual property in relation to a range of industry sectors including media & entertainment, life sciences and pharmaceuticals.

Membership: Illinois State Bar; American Intellectual Property Law Association; Chicago Bar Association – International Copyright Committee; Illinois Bar Association.

Courtney Betty, Attorney at Law

Courtney Betty is a consultant to RT Coopers. He is the senior partner of My Justice Law, and one of the founding members. He is a member of the Bar in Canada. Mr. Betty has over 16 years experience within the legal, regulatory and business environment. Mr. Betty began his legal career with the Department of Justice-Canada, by prosecuting Tax, Commercial and Civil cases on behalf of the Government of Canada.

Business law
Civil law prosecution
Regulatory law
Tax prosecution
Telecommunications law

He successfully represented the government of Canada in over 200 cases before the federal court of appeal. He later served as Senior Legal Counsel with focus on the deregulation of telecommunications. Mr. Betty continues to focus on telecommunications law as an advisor with prime responsibility for AT&T Wireless (Cingular), as well as on various initiatives with both private and public sectors within the Caribbean and North America. Mr. Betty has always played a key role in making legal information available to the general public. Mr. Betty has also served as Associate Professor in Constitutional Law at University level.

Membership: Bar Association Canada

Lesley Gool - JD BA

Lesley Gool is a consultant to RT Coopers LLP. Lesley received a Juris Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School in 2007. She is currently an Assistant States Attorney in the Office of Cook County and has more than 2 years of trial and appellate experience combined. In addition, Lesley has experience in a broad range of corporate matters, including business entity formation, trademark infringement, employer trade secrets, contract negotiations and commercial real estate. Lesley’s commercial real estate practice includes representing real estate developers with the acquisition, disposition and development of improved and unimproved real property.

Company law
Contract law
Corporate law
Trade mark infrongement

Prior to becoming an Assistant States Attorney, Lesley was a law clerk for the Honorable Justice P. Scott Neville in the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District.

Membership: Illinois State Bar; American Intellectual Property Law Association; Chicago Bar Association; Illinois State Bar Association

Key members of our marketing, business development and compliance team include:

Susanna Corbin BSc (Hons); MBA; Chartered Accountant (ACCA); FCCA

Susanna Corbin BSc (Hons); MBA; Chartered Accountant (ACCA); FCCA Susanna acts as marketing/business consultant to the firm and is responsible for business development for the Caribbean Region. She is a qualified accountant with several years progressive experience in the areas of auditing; accounting; finance; information technology and project management. She holds an MBA from Manchester Business School. She currently consults in the areas of Business Development and Effectiveness assisting organisations with Investing and Financing Decision Making as well as Financial Management. She has also developed substantial expertise in the regulatory requirements governing the financial services sector, while based in the Cayman Islands.

Business development
Marketing

She was previously employed by Cable & Wireless (C&W) where she was involved in a range of activities, which included implementing and supporting financial systems through-out the Caribbean; project management and management accounting. One of her most significant achievements was preparing the C&W group for the January 1997 introduction of a Value Added Tax (VAT) System by the government of Barbados. She is skilled in corporate and business planning, project management and has the ability to develop innovative, workable and cost effective solutions. She provides leadership, motivation, decisiveness and strategic direction through the use of good communication and excellent interpersonal skills.

Membership: Fellow of the Institute of Accounts.

Jenny Cooper HND; Teacher's Senior Certificate; MCMI; SRH

Jenny Cooper is the practice manager for the firm. She is also the Compliance Officer for Finance Administration ("COFA") for the firm. In her role as the firm's COFA, she has to ensure that the firm remains compliant under the solicitors accounts rules.

COFA
Marketing
Practice manager

She has experience in negotiating with individuals and trade unions, experience in mentoring, advising start-ups on starting and sustaining their business (through Acorn House, Croydon), sales management, purchasing, analysing and preparing budgets, cash flow forecasts, setting and achieving targets and analysing accounts. She is an accomplished public speaker and has successfully completed Management courses in interviewing, counselling, image building, appraising staff and personal development.

Past Memberships: Jenny has held some strategic positions including, past Chairman of and Regional Spokesperson for the Chartered Management Institute (formerly the Institute of Management, Croydon); Chairman of Croydon Education and Business Partnership; Member of the Strategic Development Forum, Croydon Council; Member of the Croydon and South London Chamber of Commerce and Member of the Ethnic Minority Forum and Disciplinary Committee I.M.

Membership: Chartered Management Institute

As practice manager of the firm, she is responsible for money laundering compliance, ensuring that all the firm's internal processes and procedures are complied with and the smooth running of the firm. Jenny brings a wealth of experience to RT Coopers. She has successfully run her own business for the last 25 years. In her previous roles she was responsible for International Computers Limited Catering as Area Manager where she was responsible for managing 20 units across the UK including, managing over 400 staff and 20 managers. She started off her career as a teacher.

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Team photographs are for illustration puposes only. Contact us.