Who we are

At First Thought IP, we believe that great ideas deserve great protection. This year marks a major milestone for our firm as we celebrate 20 years of helping innovators, businesses, universities and charities protect their intellectual property and turn their ideas into commercial success.

Founded in 2006 by Mark Milhench, First Thought IP has grown from a boutique patent and intellectual property practice into a trusted partner for clients across a wide range of industries. Over the past two decades, we have worked alongside startups, engineers, designers, scientists, and technology companies — guiding them from first concept through to commercialisation, and beyond.

Our Story

Intellectual property is in our DNA, quite literally.  Howard Milhench, Mark's father, worked as a patent attorney from the 1960s until he retired, and Mark has fond childhood memories of sitting with his father whilst he worked and Mark coloured-in the engineering drawings of the applications his father was drafting. 

Howard inspired a curiosity and a love of science and technology in Mark, and growing up around the profession gave Mark an early understanding of the importance of protecting innovation and supporting inventors — values that continue to shape the business today.

Mark studied physics before qualifying as a patent attorney, and has worked for some of the most prestigious European and US firms in the profession. Mark came to understand that it was crucial for inventors, researchers, and businesses not only to have legal partners who understood the science behind their innovations, but to have legal partners who understood their goals and aspirations. That perspective shaped his vision for First Thought IP: a firm built to deliver rigorous legal protection whilst speaking the same language as the innovators it serves. Twenty years on, that same philosophy remains at the heart of the company.

A True Family Business

First Thought IP is very much a family affair, with each member of the family bringing their own unique talents, expertise and perspective to the business. Mark’s sons both regularly consult for the business, bringing detailed knowledge of physics and engineering, as well as fresh perspectives to the issues that we deal with.

Behind the scenes, Mark’s wife plays a vital role in keeping the business commercially strong and strategically focused. With a degree in economics and a sharp commercial mindset, she ensures the business remains financially healthy, operationally effective, and always moving in the right direction.

The Reception & Security team (pictured) takes its duties seriously: every visitor is greeted warmly, assessed for snack-carrying potential, and escorted with enthusiastic tail-wagging professionalism.

Together, the family combines legal expertise, technical knowledge, scientific understanding, and commercial awareness — creating a uniquely rounded approach to intellectual property.