D Young & Co LLP

Alan Boyd

Partner, Patent Attorney

Cathrine McGowan

Partner, Patent Attorney

Charles Harding

Charles represents academic organisations, SMEs and blue chip companies before the UKIPO and the EPO in patent matters in the life sciences sector. His portfolio covers various technologies such as molecular biology, immunology, biotechnology, virology, veterinary science and food science, through to protein chemistry, chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceuticals and devices. Charles has an extensive practice in EPO oppositions and appeals, with over 25 years' advocacy experience including representation before the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal. He has been involved in litigation (including at first instance and appellate level) in the UK, France, Germany, USA, South Africa and Japan and has also attended interviews at the US Patent Office. Charles has chaired and lectured at numerous international conferences and conventions on life science issues in the patent arena and continues to provide a two-day seminar at Queen Mary, University of London, helping candidates approach the European qualifying examinations.

Connor McConchie

Connor’s main area of practice concerns dealing with drafting and prosecution in the chemical field. In particular, he has experience working in the fields of polymers, small molecules, drug delivery, and inorganic binders. Connor provides on the ground advice to clients regarding their IP strategy, portfolio management and competitor intelligence.Additionally, a significant proportion of Connor’s work is directed to portfolio management.

Darren Lewis

Darren has technical expertise in a wide range of physics, electronics and mechanical subject matter. His practice includes clients in the fields of aerosol delivery systems, mobile telecommunications, embryology, the oil industry, radiation detection, capacitive sensing, optical devices and medical imaging. Darren’s clients range from individuals to large corporations. Darren has experience in drafting patent applications for worldwide prosecution, directing and coordinating patent prosecution in many different jurisdictions, general patent portfolio management, as well as undertaking opposition work. In addition, Darren regularly advises on infringement and validity issues, freedom to operate analyses and due diligence exercises.

David Horner

David’s main areas of expertise are in the field of microprocessor design, digital electronics, software and telecommunications. David acts primarily for large and medium sized corporate clients, with most of his work being in the area of preparation and prosecution of patent applications, and often spends time at clients’ offices in UK, US and mainland Europe working on their cases.

David Alcock

David is experienced in all types of chemical subject matter. His practice is currently focused on pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, speciality chemicals and food technology. David has broad technical expertise, working for direct clients in small molecule pharmaceuticals, gene delivery, fuel additives, catalysis, chelates, industrial waste treatment, polymer chemistry, adhesives and glass technology. David acts for multinational corporations and SMEs, as well as academic institutions. David has extensive prosecution knowledge in numerous territories, including the United States, Japan, South America, Middle East, and the ex-Soviet states, and is able to provide strategic advice on worldwide filing programmes. He regularly attends interviews at the US Patent and Trademark Office and he continues to be successful in many oral proceedings before EPO opposition divisions and appeal boards, on behalf of both opponents and patentees.

Doug Ealey

Doug’s main areas of expertise are in computer technology fields (including hardware and software), consumer electronics, camera, display and VR technologies and mobile telephony. Doug has had experience both in private practice and industry drafting and obtaining patent applications worldwide. His private practice clients have included major consumer electronics companies, as well as research groups and start-ups. Doug also has a keen interest in wearables, 3D printing and IoT applications.

Garreth Duncan

Garreth’s experience in the patent profession, both in private practice and as an in-house attorney in Pfizer’s European patent department, have focused strongly on pharmaceutical patents. Garreth’s technical expertise covers all types of chemical subject matter including food chemistry, petrochemicals, agricultural chemistry, polymer chemistry and chemical syntheses and processes. In the pharmaceuticals sector, Garreth handles patent applications for new active substances, formulations, combination therapies, new medical indications, and manufacturing processes. He has particular expertise in obtaining supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) and other forms of patent term extension, advising clients on SPC strategies and filing and prosecuting SPC portfolios throughout Europe on a number of important marketed pharmaceutical and plant protection products.

Gemma Kirkland

Gemma handles the full spectrum of IP matters concerning trade marks, including clearance, prosecution, oppositions, invalidity and revocation actions, enforcement issues, and company and domain names. Gemma acts for a variety of clients, from start-ups and sole traders, through to multi-national corporations. Gemma's practice spans diverse sectors ranging from beauty and personal care products, household products, luxury consumer products, fashion, and consumer electronics, through to financial services, music and entertainment services, automobile services as well as travel and tourism services. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Gemma gained invaluable professional experience working in-house for BP plc’s Group Trade Marks Department.

James Turner

Since 1999 James has led a growing team of attorneys which serves the Sony group of companies, and which has provided almost 50 years of continuous service to Sony Corporation. Alongside his work on video processing and virtual reality, James works on microprocessor and integrated circuit designs. James also provides advice to universities and their spin-off companies, including preparing documents for company flotation. James has gained experience working for clients in Japan and other Asian countries. As part of his work, he often visits the region and he has studied the Japanese language for many years. As well as his work as an attorney, James is also involved in regulatory roles. He has been a Board Member of the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) since 2012.

Jeremy Pennant

Jeremy has a diverse client base ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups to multinational blue chip companies. He has extensive experience in multiple sectors including food and drink, tech, hotels, boats, charities, petroleum, chemicals and energy, including renewables. Jeremy has also worked in the fields of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, aviation and courier services, financial services, film, television, music and clothing, as well as internet service providers and communications, sports teams and high-performance vehicle manufacturers. Jeremy was one of the original independent experts appointed by Nominet to adjudicate on domain name disputes in the UK. Jeremy has spoken and lectured extensively not only in Europe but also in the US and the Far East. Much of Jeremy’s practice relates to the enforcement of clients’ rights. Jeremy is a qualified trade mark and design litigator.

Jonathan DeVile

Jonathan has extensive experience in drafting and obtaining patent applications worldwide and contentious issues including litigation, oppositions, strategic assistance on infringement, licensing issues and due diligence matters, and continues to attract work from his clients in the fields of electronics and software, and particularly wireless technologies, both broadcast and mobile technologies, telecommunications engineering, internet protocols and applications, image and signal processing, and mobile communications. Jonathan also has litigation experience and is active in appeals, litigation and due diligence exercises for clients. He has a keen interest in standards related patents and is often asked to prepare patent applications for standards related inventions.

Jonathan Jackson

Jonathan’s practice concentrates on the drafting and prosecution of patent applications in many jurisdictions around the world. He has extensive experience of both the appeal and opposition procedures at the EPO and is also qualified to represent clients in the Higher Courts as a certified patent litigator. Jonathan’s clients range from large multi-national companies to smaller start-up companies. He has experience in a wide range of electronics-related technologies including image processing, telecommunications, broadcast technologies, fintech and medical imaging technologies. Jonathan is also well known for his work associated with wearable technology IP matters, having been published in national and international publications on the topic. He travels regularly to Japan, South Korea and the US to visit clients and to speak at conferences about patent practice.

Nicholas Malden

Nick’s areas of expertise are physics and electronics, with a particular experience in microprocessor technologies. Nick is particularly active in processor design, various computer-implemented technologies, digital electronics, consumer devices and services, medical devices and industrial control devices. Nick frequently drafts patent applications for filing in many different jurisdictions, guides each application through its subsequent patent prosecution and is experienced in strategic patent portfolio management. His clients range from individuals to global multinationals and he frequently travels to visit them - mainly to the USA and Far East.

Richard Burton

Partner, Trade Mark Attorney

Robbie Berryman

Robbie has a background in physics, electronics and computing and is highly experienced in drafting complex patent applications. His work includes drafting and prosecution of UK, European and foreign patent applications, specialising in microelectronics, computer architecture, consumer electronics, telecommunications and general physics. Robbie has a diverse client base, ranging from start-ups and SMEs to universities and tech giants. Robbie also tutors prospective patent attorneys sitting the UK Final Qualifying Examinations.