Chris’ practice focuses on high-tech fields including electronics, MedTech, semiconductors, and software.
He has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications before the UK Intellectual Property Office, European Patent Office and the International Bureau. Chris is regularly involved in EPO opposition and appeal proceedings, as well as managing worldwide patent portfolios, harvesting inventions, opinions on validity and FTO analysis, and ownership and assignment matters. He often provides guidance on patenting software inventions, and in particular on how to approach these with consideration to the exclusions to patentability. Chris is also experienced in filing and prosecuting registered designs in both the UK and EU.
Chris is particularly experienced in supporting MedTech businesses. This varies from guiding early-stage companies through the world of IP and mapping patent strategies to commercial goals, to managing portfolios for large corporations and dealing with contentious matters. He has also presented patent strategy primers in MedTech conferences and webinars.
Chris has an academic background in nanotechnology, semiconductors and solid state physics. Before entering the patent profession, Chris worked in university-based research, which led to him being named as an inventor on patent applications and authorship of several scientific papers.
Chris enjoys providing bespoke guidance to clients, ranging from start-ups and SMEs through to multinationals, to add value to their innovation through carefully planned and executed intellectual property strategy. Chris is a firm believer that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to patenting, and seeks to tailor strategies to maximise the benefit to his clients within their commercial frameworks. He finds his time in academia to be of particular benefit, having previously sat on the inventor-side of the table, when supporting his clients.