AJ Park has today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire New Zealand intellectual property (IP) firm, Baldwins.
Under the agreement, Baldwins will join the AJ Park business and operate as one firm. AJ Park and Baldwins are complementary businesses in terms of their experienced and expert teams, strong heritage and quality clients.
The transaction remains subject to a number of conditions, including clearance by the New Zealand Commerce Commission. Time frames for clearance applications can vary, but subject to that approval and other conditions, it is expected that the transaction will complete in the third quarter of 2020.
AJ Park Managing Director, Dr Andrea Dickens, said the proposed acquisition would provide benefits for both businesses, their people and clients.
Baldwins is a quality IP business with a highly qualified and experienced specialist IP team. We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring together the strengths of two New Zealand IP businesses as one combined firm under AJ Park. AJ Park's clients will have access to a deeper pool of IP expertise and Baldwins’ clients will benefit from access to AJ Park’s larger IP team and direct access to the Asian market through the IPH group Asia business.
Baldwins’ Chairman, Wes Jones said: “We believe this combination will allow us to best position our business for the future, both in New Zealand and internationally. As a combined firm we can provide enhanced career opportunities for our people and offer a strengthened client service capability including an enhanced international offering. We believe AJ Park is a good strategic fit for our business and, subject to clearance by the New Zealand Commerce Commission and completion of the transaction, we look forward to joining the firm later this year.”
Until completion, each firm will operate independently and continue to provide quality IP services, in the same way and by the same people.
About Baldwins
Established in 1896, Baldwins is a leading New Zealand IP firm, with four partners and a high quality IP professional team working from offices in Auckland and Wellington. Baldwins serves clients in New Zealand, Australia and throughout the world. These include individual inventors, start-up ventures, research institutes, government agencies, small and large businesses and multinational corporations.
