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Ciara Cullen
Partner, Retail & Consumer Sector Lead
London
Ciara Cullen
Partner, Retail & Consumer Sector Lead
Get in touch
Ciara leads our Retail & Consumer sector group at RPC and has acted as a trusted advisor for over 20 years to some of the world’s best-known consumer brands, across Food & Drink, Fashion & Beauty, Luxury, FMCG, Tech & Digital Media. Ciara has deep sector knowledge and plays a pivotal role in helping clients and industry players navigate the fast-moving Retail & Consumer landscape. She is also recognised as a Leading Individual for Retail & Consumer (Legal 500 UK, 2025).
An IP specialist, Ciara advises on the full range of IP rights and supports brands with IP exploitation and enforcement, licensing and collaboration, and sponsorship opportunities. Ciara has significant litigation experience before the UK and Irish High Courts and Courts of Appeal, IPEC, and ICC and has helped clients successfully resolve disputes through all forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Ciara’s practice also has a strong regulatory focus supporting clients with their key strategic priorities, including the implementation of their net zero strategies, the design and roll out of their green marketing campaigns and cutting-edge product innovations. Ciara also has a wealth of experience helping clients manage customer and supply chain relationships, including the resolution of disputes relating to supply and logistics, exclusive distribution rights, lead brewer terms, and licensing arrangements - whether through contract management, mediation, arbitration, or litigation.
A recognised thought leader, Ciara regularly contributes to leading industry journals (e.g. Managing IP, The Distillers Journal, The Brewers Journal) and speaks at key industry events (Retail Week GC Summit, BRC's Climate Action Week Panel, Low2No Bev Show, and The Gin Guild annual conference).
“I’m very lucky to be able to work with some brilliant people at amazing companies in dynamic sectors - whether it’s supporting with innovative new product launches, navigating challenging regulatory developments, or supporting through a dispute or crisis, no two days are the same. I love that.”
“Building long-term relationships and connecting on a human level is important to me – I enjoy bringing people together and connecting clients with their industry peers. To be a true business partner to your clients you really need to get under the skin of their industry, understand their business, stay ahead of the curve on key trends and developments, and help make them shine in their in-house roles.”
“I’m passionate about building a genuinely high performing, diverse and inclusive team at RPC and creating an environment where people can grow, achieve their ambitions - and have fun while doing it!”
Ciara’s recent work highlights:
- Co-leading the RPC team supporting an industry-wide consortium of drinks companies, retailers and Trade Associations in setting up the entity to apply for and operate the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme;
- Successfully settling a High Court contractual dispute between a multinational drink and brewing company and its customer; and
- Acting in various trade mark, passing off, design rights, copyright and breach of confidence disputes before the English High Court and IPEC.
Directory Quotes
“Ciara is a fantastic trade mark litigator. Her qualifications in England and Ireland make her an invaluable asset for clients navigating complex cross-border disputes. Her dedication and expertise truly deserve recognition and high praise for the significant contributions she makes to her clients.” - World Trademark Review 1000 2025
"Ciara Cullen is consistently excellent. Smart, commercially astute and a pleasure to deal with. She is who I call when I don't know who to call." - Legal 500 UK 2025
"Ciara Cullen is a standout lawyer – smart, thoughtful and an absolute pleasure to work with." - Legal 500 UK 2024
"Ciara Cullen is an outstanding lawyer and very responsive. I am always very happy going to her for advice." - Legal 500 UK 2023
"Outstanding service levels and very client-friendly. Clear and concise vision of all the issues." - The Legal 500 UK 2022
"Ciara Cullen is technically excellent and a fantastic client lawyer. Always there when we need her and gives consistently good advice, both legally and commercially." - The Legal 500 UK 2022
"Ciara Cullen, who focuses on branding matters, is another key individual. She provides 'clear, concise support with contract queries. Ciara Cullen is equally helpful and provides excellent clear concise support with contract queries across a wide range of potential situations." - The Legal 500 UK 2022
"Ciara Cullen stands out for being a true business partner. Ciara coordinates the team to ensure the very best client experience, ensuring accurate timely advice on a diverse range of queries. An expert in her field, we have come to rely on Ciara and her team as an extension of the business." - The Legal 500 UK 2022
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2022
Next Generation Partner - The Legal 500 UK 2022
"Ciara is a pragmatic, fast and experienced lawyer. Her advice is pitch perfect, she has good knowledge of the FCMG industry and she understands all technical elements of a case, but is also alive to commercial concerns." - World Trademark Review 1000 2021
Next Generation Partner - The Legal 500 UK 2021
"Approachable, knowledgeable and very commercial" - The Legal 500 UK 2021
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2021
"Ciara Cullen is very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Her litigation experience comes in handy when negotiating complex agreements." - The Legal 500 UK 2021
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2021
"Ciara Cullen is very client friendly. Approachable, able to flex style as appropriate and to explain complex legal issues in a clear and concise way." - The Legal 500 UK 2021
"Ciara Cullen is very knowledgeable and responsive, good at handling clients with sensitivity and creating rapport." - The Legal 500 UK 2021
"Ciara Cullen is able to flex style as appropriate and to explain complex legal issues in a clear and concise way. Consistently delivers sound legal advice in a digestible form." - The Legal 500 UK 2021
One client describes Ciara Cullen as 'one of the best lawyers I have ever had the pleasure of working with; she gets what I need and delivers…she is knowledgeable about all IP rights, commercial and practical'. - World Trademark Review 1000 2020
"Ciara Cullen is great at bringing people together to share insights on current issues facing in-house teams – she ensures there are always tangible results" - The Legal 500 UK 2020
[Ciara] is an authority on sponsorship and endorsement arrangements and other commercial IP matters. - World Trademark Review 1000 2019
[Ciara] puts her finely honed negotiation skills to good use when resolving cross-border trademark disputes. - World Trademark Review 1000 2019
"Rising star" – Managing Intellectual Property, IP Stars, 2016 edition
Memberships/qualifications
Qualifications
Qualified in England and Wales
Qualified in Ireland
Memberships
Member of the London Irish Business Society (LIBS)
Awards
- Shortlisted: Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2022 - Innovative Leaders in ESG and Diversity
- Shortlisted: British Legal Awards 2022 - ESG initiative of the Year (Ciara Cullen and Sophie Tuson)
Get in touch
Expertise sectors
Retail & Consumer, Technology, Media & Telecoms, Food & Beverage, Retailers, Consumer Brands
Expertise services
Commercial, Intellectual Property, Consumer Products & Services
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