James & Wells is proud to announce that it has received two major honours at the 2026 Managing Intellectual Property Asia Pacific Awards, being named Trans-Tasman IP Firm of the Year (Australia & New Zealand) and Patent Firm of the Year (New Zealand).
The Trans-Tasman award marks the second consecutive year James & Wells has received the title, following its win in 2025. Together with the New Zealand Patent Firm of the Year award, the recognition reflects the strength and consistency of the firm’s intellectual property expertise across Australia and New Zealand.
The Managing IP Awards recognise outstanding achievements and developments across the Asia-Pacific intellectual property sector, celebrating leading firms and practitioners across a range of jurisdictions and areas of IP practice.
Being named Trans-Tasman IP Firm of the Year for a second year running is particularly significant for James & Wells. With more than 40 years of history in New Zealand and an established and growing presence in Australia, the firm continues to strengthen its position as a genuinely Trans-Tasman IP practice, helping local and international clients protect, commercialise and enforce their intellectual property across both markets.
The Patent Firm of the Year (New Zealand) award also recognises the depth of James & Wells’ patent expertise and the work of its New Zealand patent team in supporting innovative businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations with complex intellectual property strategies.
These awards are a firm-wide achievement and reflect the expertise and dedication of our people, as well as the continued trust placed in James & Wells by our clients and international associates. As the firm continues to grow, our focus remains unchanged: combining deep technical and legal expertise with commercial thinking to help clients protect and maximise the value of their ideas and innovations.
