Appleyard Lees
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Appleyard Lees acts for successful defendants, Asda and IPL, in first claim for infringement of plant breeders’ rights brought to trial in the UK

Our patent attorneys
& patent services

All our patent attorneys have high level technical skills, knowledge and experience, within their own scientific or engineering disciplines.

 Together, our patent attorneys cover all areas of technology and form one large resource of expert technical and legal capability. We can advise our clients comprehensively and efficiently in all technical areas – whether engineering, electronics, IT, biotech, life sciences or chemistry. Increasingly, inventions are multi-disciplinary and our attorneys are efficient in working together in small teams, in order to handle such inventions optimally.

However, our clients need much more than technical and legal expertise from us. Our attorneys have the commercial skills necessary to understand our clients’ businesses; and strong communication skills – the ability to listen, analyse, explain and persuade.

Our attorneys are experts in securing protection for our clients, but also work with our clients in many other ways, where patent attorney skills are paramount.

Identification and protection

  • Identifying your requirements and providing the right team of attorneys
  • Working with you to identify your patentable inventions effectively
  • Preparing high quality applications – a cornerstone activity
  • Prosecuting and maintaining patent rights throughout their lifecycle
  • Creating and implementing national/global filing strategies

Competitor and strategic issues

  • Conducting infringement clearance studies to safeguard your new product launches
  • Advising on the validity of competitor patents
  • Carrying out competitor studies and landscape reviews
  • Transacting patents by negotiating sales and purchases, and licences in and out
  • Developing strategies which maximise your financial benefit

Disputes, oppositions and appeals

  • Conducting opposition or limitation proceedings at the European Patent Office
  • Obtaining Opinions at the UK Intellectual Property Office
  • Defending our clients’ patents, challenging invalid competitor patents
  • Managing disputes, including oppositions and appeals, and IP litigation in general
  • Negotiating settlement agreements when this is the best course for our clients

Our sectors

Electrical, electronics, computing

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Mechanics, engineering, physics

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Life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals

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Chemistry, materials

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Other services

Trade marks

Protecting brand assets with trade marks allows businesses of all sizes to invest in their brand with confidence, build brand equity and leverage that equity for growth.

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Designs

Design rights are a monopoly right that protect the visual appearance of products, which can include  shape, colour, materials and texture.  This includes logos, characters and other two-dimensional shapes and forms.  

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Transactional IP

We have extensive experience in drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on commercial transactions that are driven by IP assets.

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Copyright

We have an outstanding team of copyright experts. Our team includes registered design attorneys, solicitors and paralegals so that we can deal effectively with any situation that may arise.

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IP strategy

IP strategy is the body of planned measures a business adopts, in order to use intellectual property to secure business advantage over its competitors.

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IP disputes

Our team of IP solicitors and attorney litigators are specialists in all aspects of IP disputes and IP dispute resolution

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IP legal support, training & patent renewals

Aside from our core areas of expertise, we are able to offer various support services which supplement or expand on these core areas.

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Get in touch

Appleyard Lees is dedicated to providing comprehensive intellectual property services in the UK and internationally. To discuss your IP challenges with a relevant professional, please submit the following brief details:

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Chambers 2026 WIPR 2025 - UK Patents 2025 Financial Times IP Stars JUVE Patent IAM 1000 The Legal 500 WIPR WTR 100
Chambers 2026 WIPR 2025 - UK Patents 2025 Financial Times IP Stars JUVE Patent IAM 1000 The Legal 500 WIPR WTR 100

Jennifer Delaney

Partner

MA(Cantab) MSci PhD MRSC CPA EPA

With a detailed knowledge of organic chemistry and chemical science, Jennifer works with a range of clients, including multinational corporates, SMEs and universities. She has extensive expertise in obtaining protection for difficult invent…

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Paul Beynon

Partner

MEng, CPA, EPA

Paul is recognised as a ‘key lawyer’ by Legal 500, and a ‘WIPR Leader’ by World Intellectual Property Review. Paul’s strong engineering background and in-house experience makes him well-positioned to offer clients commercially sen…

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Barbara Fleck

Partner

BSc(Hons), PhD, CPA, EPA

Barbara is recognised as a key individual in the Legal 500 UK patent attorney rankings, and is recommended by JUVE Patents, WIPR, IAM Patents 1000, IP Stars, and IAM Global Leaders. Barbara’s experience both in private practice and in-hou…

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Paul Brandon

Partner

BSc, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

Paul has a first class degree in physics from the University of Nottingham providing a background relevant to many technological sectors. As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, Paul finds innovative ways of helping clients, pro…

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Richard Bray

Partner

MPhys(Hons), CPA, EPA

Richard supports a wide range of clients operating in the UK, and also those headquartered internationally in the USA, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Japan and Korea. Richard’s clients range from universities, to start-ups and…

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Julia Gwilt

Partner

MA (Hons), Mathematics; Masters, Computer Science, CPA, EPA

Julia has worked in the patent profession in the Cambridge area for over twenty-five years and in January 2017 she opened our Cambridge office. She oversees the patent portfolios for a wide variety of direct clients. Julia’s mathematics b…

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David Clark

Partner

MEng, CPA, EPA

David has over twenty years’ experience in intellectual property law, and manages Appleyard Lees’ largest client account. David completed a master’s degree in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, the breadth of that qualif…

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Kate Hickinson

Partner

BSc(Hons), PhD, CPA, EPA

Kate is a partner at Appleyard Lees and helps to lead the chemistry team. She joined the patent profession after completing a BSc(Hons) in chemistry and a PhD in the areas of phosphine chemistry and homogeneous catalysis at the University o…

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Sarah Gibbs

Partner

BSc, PhD, EPA, CPA, MRSC

Sarah helps clients protect their inventions in both the chemical and biochemical fields. As a result of working with a wide variety of clients in these sectors, she has experience and understanding of the challenges faced by different comp…

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Parminder Lally

Partner

MSci, PhD, CPA, EPA

Parminder helps clients to protect their technological innovations and to develop and implement their IP strategies. Her experience, both in-house and with direct clients, means she understands the challenges faced by businesses developing …

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Graham Johnson

Partner

BSc, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, Graham has particular expertise in providing strategic advice to SMEs building a range of intellectual property (IP) rights around their brands and products. He works across a variety of a…

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Chris Mason

Partner

MSci(Hons), LLM, MRSC, CPA, EPA

Chris provides strategic, pragmatic, and commercially focused IP advice to innovative companies, from multinational corporations to SMEs and start-ups. He develops and implements IP strategies aligned with business objectives, delivering ro…

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David Moy

Partner

BA, DPhil, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, David specialises in chemistry and pharmaceuticals, acting before the UK Intellectual Patent Office (UK IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), and the World Intellectual Property Organisa…

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James Myatt

Partner

PGDip, MChem, PhD, MRSC, EPA ,CPA

James is an experienced UK and European patent attorney who specialises in protecting cutting-edge chemistry inventions. Before entering the IP profession, James obtained a PhD in organic synthetic chemistry and worked in pharmaceuticals re…

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Paul Roscoe

Partner

MEng, CPA, EPA

Paul has experience working as an engineer and inventor and working as a patent engineer in-house. As a result, he is able to relate to inventors well and can understand commercial considerations. Paul works with large multinational compani…

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Bobby Smithson

Managing Partner

MChem, CPA, EPA, MRSC

“Bobby not only demonstrated a deep understanding of the legal and procedural aspects, but also an uncanny grasp of the technology and flaws presented in the patent being opposed.  Bobby provided us with indispensable guidance at every j…

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Adam Tindall

Partner

BEng(Hons), PhD, CPA, EPA

Adam helps clients to obtain, use and/or navigate-around Intellectual Property Rights relating to technology and design. After many years working in-house as an engineer and then as a patent attorney, he has extensive experience of understa…

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Dick Waddington

Partner

BSc, MPhil, CPA, EPA, MITMA, FRSA

Dick has a particular interest in medical device technology, including both mechanical aspects and control software. His expertise ranges from prosecution, including examination oral proceedings and appeals at the European Patent Office (EP…

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David Walsh

Partner

BSc, PhD, CChem, CSci, MRSC, CPA, EPA, MITMA

David is a UK and European Patent Attorney specialising in the fields of polymers, pharmaceuticals, catalysis, process technology, sealing technology and industrial biotechnology. David has a PhD in surface chemistry from UCL. He advises mu…

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Arnie Francis

Principal Associate

MA(Cantab), MSc, CPA, EPA, Solicitor (England & Wales)

Arnie is one of the few people in the UK to have qualified as a UK and European patent attorney and solicitor of England and Wales. This provides him with a deep understanding of the full lifecycle of a patent, from conception through to co…

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Ithel Jones

Principal Associate

BSc, MSc, CPA, EPA

Ithel obtains IP rights that prove to be valuable assets for his clients. He has a track record of successfully obtaining patents for software technology that’s considered complex or marginal in terms of patentability. Ithel works with a …

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Pippa Allen

Consultant

BSc(Chem), CPA, EPA

Pippa has been engaged with raising awareness of and education Unified Patent Court and the Unitary Patent, spending her training and first 10 years working in-house for the patent departments of a number of major international corporations…

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Anthony Brierley

Consultant

BSc(Hons), CPA, EPA, CTMA

Anthony holds a first class honours degree in chemistry from the University of Durham. As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, he handles the patent portfolios for several multinational chemical companies, as well as an extensiv…

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Hugh Sherrard-Smith

Consultant

BSc(Eng), CPA

Hugh has extensive patent and trade mark experience. During his career he has specialised in engineering with a particular interest in medical devices, aircraft technology, and automotive areas. Hugh has represented many companies in the fi…

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Hannah Evans

Senior Associate

MPhys, PhD, CPA, EPA

Hannah has experience supporting a wide range of clients from start-ups to large multinational companies, as well as SMEs, universities, and overseas attorneys. She works with each client to understand their objectives and obtain commercial…

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Freya Hine

Senior Associate

MSci (Hons), PhD, CPA, EPA

As a chartered UK and European Patent Attorney Freya helps clients to protect their innovations in the chemical field. Her experience from previously working in technology transfer helps her to understand client’s priorities. Freya works …

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Matthew Bennett

Senior Associate

PhD, DIC, MPhys (Hons)

Matthew has broad ranging technology experience covering physics, electrical engineering, and software development. He puts that experience to use protecting innovations across a variety of sectors on all matters from patent drafting to lit…

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Louise Johnson

Senior Associate

MPhys, PhD, CPA, EPA

As a Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney, Louise works with clients to protect their innovation in the UK, Europe and worldwide. Louise works on a broad range of inventions in the fields of physics, engineering, electronics and softwa…

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Ali Dumigan

Senior Associate

MPhys, PhD, CPA, EPA

Ali’s strong physics background and experience with a broad range of clients enables him to deliver high-quality work in a manner adapted to client requirements.  He enjoys tackling complex patent issues and providing clear advice. Ali h…

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Edward Rainsford

Senior Associate

BSc(Hon), MSc, PhD, CPA, EPA, MRSB

Edward has experience assisting a wide variety of biotechnology and medical device companies to protect their innovations. Edward’s time working in academia helps him understand the needs of universities and spin-outs, when commercialisin…

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Rachel Mercer

Senior Associate

MBiochem, DPhil, CPA, EPA

Rachel is a UK and European patent attorney who helps her clients protect their innovations in the biotechnology and life sciences fields. She draws on her research experience when formulating IP strategies with her clients. Rachel speciali…

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Thomas Measures

Senior Associate

MEng, CPA, EPA

Tom spent four years at an IP firm located in the Midlands before joining Appleyard Lees. Prior to that, he served as a technical lead in the computer software industry. In that role, he contributed to the development of technologies aimed …

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Claire Devine

Senior Associate

BSc, PhD, CPA, EPA

Claire enjoys working closely with clients to help protect their biotech-related inventions. As a patent attorney Claire has worked with a range of clients in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical areas, on applications related to a broad ra…

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Kathryn Bradley

Associate

MSci, PhD, CPA, EPA

During her PhD, Kathryn worked in a large multi-disciplinary team to develop new methods of identifying functional materials. Working in this fast-paced environment has given Kathryn an understanding of the difficulties faced by researchers…

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Amelia Foster

Associate

MChem, EPA, CPA

Graduating with a first class masters degree in medicinal chemistry from the University of Leeds, her work has included a project focused on manipulating a proteins intracellular localisation using a small chemically synthesised compound. S…

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David Jasiewicz

Associate

MChem, AMRSC, CPA, EPA

David spent three years as a technical assistant in a Japanese patent law firm prior to joining Appleyard Lees. This experience, alongside a solid grasp of French and German, allows David to assist clients with international aspects of thei…

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Mark Levy

Associate

MMathPhys, PhD, CPA, EPA

Mark has over nine years of experience in the patent profession, working with a diverse range of clients – from start-ups to international corporations – across various technological fields. He has managed large patent portfolios and pr…

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Alice Smart

Associate

BSc, PhD

Alice has a wide range of technical experience working in large pharmaceutical companies and smaller start-up firms enabling her to work on patent applications from diverse technologies. Working closely with clients has enabled her to tailo…

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Ashley Wragg

Associate

MChem, PhD, EPA, CPA

Ashley is a qualified European and UK patent attorney with extensive experience managing patent applications in Europe and across multiple jurisdictions. He has worked with a broad range of clients, from start-ups to multinational corporati…

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Emily Bevan-Smith

Patent Attorney

MChem, MRSC, EPA

Graduating from Cardiff University with a first class masters degree in chemistry, Emily’s academic background equipped her with a deep knowledge of scientific principles and research methodologies. Her thesis research focused on developi…

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Harriet Bird

Patent Attorney

BSc, CPA, EPA

Harriet enjoys working together with clients to solve their problems to achieve their commercial goals. She has a background in physics and her broad experience in intellectual property (IP) mean that she is well placed to help clients maxi…

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Debora Dorn

Patent Attorney

BSc, MASt, CPA, EPA

A background in physics, mathematics and machine learning helps Debora understand new innovations and protect client’s intellectual property. Debora has broad insight into various areas of physics and mathematics. She has a particular int…

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Kealan Fallon

Patent Attorney

MSci, PhD, MRSC, EPA

With a background spanning chemistry, physics, and engineering, Kealan has a deep appreciation of the challenges and opportunities within interdisciplinary research environments. His broad experience helps him to understand and protect his …

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Charlie Hilton-Balfe

Patent Attorney

BSc, EPA

Charlie’s broad experience in intellectual property, background in physics and commercial awareness helps ensure their clients receive sensible and effective protection for their inventions. Charlie works with a variety of clients of diff…

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Richard Maclennan

Patent Attorney

BSc (Hons), PhD, EPA

Richard’s experience in patents, but also from working in industry and academia, helps him to understand his clients’ priorities. As part of Horizon 2020, the biggest-ever EU research and innovation programme, Richard gained insight int…

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Keisha Michael

Patent Attorney

MPhys, PhD, CPA

With a background in Physics, Keisha is able to understand the concepts behind her client’s inventions quickly and help them to obtain the best protection possible. She particularly enjoys providing advice to solo inventors and small comp…

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Jordan Tinkler

Patent Attorney

BSc, MPhys, PhD, EPA

Jordan takes a friendly and pragmatic approach in helping our clients protect their innovations and IP. Jordan’s interdisciplinary background has given him an appreciation of the challenges involved with inventions crossing multiple field…

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Jack Ashman

Trainee Patent Attorney

BSc, MSc (Radiometrics), MSc (Clinical Science)

Jack’s previous experience as a medical physicist means he recognises the need to develop novel inventions in order to aid progression in a particular field. Because of this, he appreciates the importance of protecting intellectual proper…

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Jack Braithwaite

Trainee Patent Attorney

BSc (Hons), PhD

Jack’s academic and industrial research experience enables him to understand the broad range of clients’ patent protection needs in the biotechnology and life sciences sector. As a trainee, Jack is working towards his UK and European pa…

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Emma Lyons

Trainee Patent Attorney

BA, MSci, MRes

Emma’s experience in both academic and clinical research enables her to assist clients in achieving patent protection for a broad range of innovations in the biotechnology and life sciences sectors. As a trainee, Emma is working towards h…

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James Clegg

Trainee Patent Attorney

MChem, AMRSC

James helps clients to protect their chemical and life science inventions. His experience in academic and industrial research enables him to understand clients’ patent protection needs for a wide range of applications in the chemical and …

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Chloe Johnson

Trainee Patent Attorney

BSc, PhD

Having joined the IP profession in 2023, Chloe helps clients to protect their life science inventions. Her research experience allows her to understand clients’ patent protection needs for a wide range of applications in the life sciences…

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Oliver Herd

Trainee Patent Attorney

BSc, PhD

Oliver’s experience in intellectual property and his scientific background in academia and industry enables him to understand the priorities of his clients. Oliver has a broad insight into the biotechnology area with specialist knowledge …

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Oliver Manners

Trainee Patent Attorney

MSci, BA

Oliver is a trainee patent attorney, working in the Manchester chemistry team. His interdisciplinary background helps him to understand the challenges and rewards of working at the interfaces between traditional disciplines. Oliver is train…

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Finnian Maye

Trainee Patent Attorney

BSc (Hons), MSc

With a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Finnian works to understand clients’ technological innovations within this realm and subsequently assist in the pursuit of protection over their invention. Finnian has an …

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Archie Nash

Trainee Patent Attorney

MPhys

Archie has experience working in the worlds of material science (superconductors, CDW materials…), theoretical physics, and computing. Archie is especially interested in AI and how it’s many innovations can shape the world around us. Ar…

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Oliver Rigg

Trainee Patent Attorney

MPhys

Oliver’s background in physics and his experience working in science communication and education enables him to offer straightforward and pragmatic patent advice to clients regardless of their level of familiarity with intellectual proper…

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Holly Redman

Trainee Patent Attorney

PhD

Holly’s broad experience in academic and industrial research, spanning chemistry and biophysics, helps her to understand and protect her client’s innovations. Holly has a particular interest in renewable energy and sustainable technolog…

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Faiad Sharif

Trainee Patent Attorney

Bsc

Faiad has experience as a software engineer in robotics. This combined with his academic endeavours in artificial intelligence (AI) allows him to navigate our client’s IP and resolve any issues that arise. Faiad’s work consists of paten…

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Tegan Wollaston

Trainee Patent Attorney

BEng

Tegan’s academic experience is supported by a year working as a design assurance engineer within the military and aerospace sector. Tegan’s work broadened her ability to understand regulation and procedure as well as processing of liter…

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Paul Brandon

Partner

BSc, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

Paul has a first class degree in physics from the University of Nottingham providing a background relevant to many technological sectors. As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, Paul finds innovative ways of helping clients, pro…

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Robert Cumming

Partner

LLB MCITMA, Solicitor (England & Wales)

Robert is a dual-qualified trade mark attorney and solicitor and manages large international portfolios and complex multi-jurisdictional disputes for market-leading businesses. Robert’s expertise lies in the strategic positioning of a bra…

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Chris Hoole

Partner

LLB (Europe), MCITMA, Solicitor (England & Wales), Solicitor (Irish Roll)

Chris is a dual-qualified solicitor and chartered trade mark attorney, experienced in contentious and non-contentious intellectual property (IP) matters, including trade marks, designs, copyright and patents. Working closely with a range o…

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Graham Johnson

Partner

BSc, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, Graham has particular expertise in providing strategic advice to SMEs building a range of intellectual property (IP) rights around their brands and products. He works across a variety of a…

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David Moy

Partner

BA, DPhil, CPA, EPA, MCITMA

As a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney, David specialises in chemistry and pharmaceuticals, acting before the UK Intellectual Patent Office (UK IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), and the World Intellectual Property Organisa…

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Beverley Robinson

Head of Designs, Partner

LLB (Hons), MCITMA

Beverley leads our specialist design team, with her practice area focussing on all aspects of design law. Beverley has particular expertise in identifying and protecting the key features of a design, strategising on international filing pro…

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Daniel Bailey

Senior Associate

LLB, MCITMA, Solicitor (England & Wales)

Dan is a dual-qualified trade mark attorney and solicitor and is experienced in clearing, registering and enforcing trade marks. His experience working in-house at a major retailer means he understands the need for commercially led advice.…

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Rachel Hardy

Senior Associate

LLB (Hons), MCITMA

Rachel helps clients to protect their trade mark rights with strategies tailored to suit each client’s individual needs. Rachel specialises in trade mark prosecution and has assisted a number of high-profile clients within the food and dr…

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Chris Thomas

Senior Associate

BA(Hons), GDL, LPC, PSC

Chris is an IP solicitor and trade mark attorney. From 2012 onwards he has specialised in commercial dispute resolution before joining Appleyard Lees in April 2019. Resolving disputes in the High Court, Intellectual Property Enterprise Cour…

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Claire Bothma

Trade Mark Attorney

BCom (Law), LLB, MCITMA, Attorney and Trade Mark Practitioner (South Africa)

Claire helps clients to protect and enforce their trade marks. Her experience over 15 years means that she can assist clients from initial conceptualisation. She believes that each client is important, whether they are a start- up or an int…

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Vishal Dattani

Associate

BA(Hons), GDL, LPC LLM, MCITMA

Vishal is a qualified trade mark attorney, who assists clients with clearing and enforcing their intellectual property (IP) rights by providing tailor-made strategic advice. He works in both contentious and non-contentious IP matters, inclu…

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Lisa Thomson

Trade Mark Attorney

LLB (Hons), LPC LLM, MCITMA

Lisa is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney who advises a wide range of clients, ranging from innovative start-ups and growing SMEs to globally recognised household brands across diverse sectors. Her work covers the full spectrum of trade mark …

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Amardeep Singh Brar

Trainee Trade Mark Attorney

BEng MSc

Amardeep has experience working as a trade mark examiner at the UK IPO. He works with a wide scope of clients, varying from start-ups to SME’s, all the way through to large household names in several different sectors. As a trainee trade …

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Jennifer Thomas

Trainee Trade Mark Attorney

LLB LPC LLM

Jennifer works with a wide scope of clients, varying from start-ups to SME’s, all the way through to large household names in a number of different sectors. Before starting her role as a Trainee Trade Mark Attorney, Jennifer has worked as…

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Ji-Young Song

Trainee Trade Mark Attorney

BA, MSc, MPhil, PhD

Ji-Young is a Trainee Trade Mark Attorney in our Manchester office. Ji-Young works alongside the associates and partners, and assists with all aspects of trademark practice ranging from registrations and oppositions to portfolio management,…

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