Venner Shipley LLP

Client Satisfaction

Adrian is currently the firm’s partnership chairperson with responsibility for working with the other partners to set the long term strategic direction of the firm.A partner within the engineering, physics and mechanical devices patent department since 2007, Adrian Bennett has approaching 20 years' experience in the profession, with a focus in mechanical engineering. His specialist areas of knowledge include fluid mechanics, oil and gas exploration technology, hand-held power tools, engine design, control systems, aerodynamics and aircraft design. Adrian has considerable experience in the original drafting of patent applications and their prosecution around the world. He also has considerable experience at leading oral proceedings at the European Patent Office and regularly handles these matters, including proceedings before the Examining Division and particularly proceedings before the Opposition Division and Board of Appeal. Other principal areas of work include advising clients in infringement matters, for example by way of freedom to operate opinions, and instructing counsel as appropriate. Adrian's clients include individual inventors, start-up companies, SMEs and large corporations, in industry sectors such as oil and gas exploration, medicament dispensing devices, automated cow milking machinery, heat exchangers, separator devices, hand-held power tools, and personal hygiene and hair treatment devices, amongst others. Adrian is a member of the firm's systems group, who is responsible for IT hardware and software, including the specialist IP software systems that support the smooth and efficient running of the firm.

Alex Brown

Alex is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Mechanical team. Alex specialises in mechanical and electromechanical inventions, and has particular experience in the fields of manufacturing, packaging, industrial machinery, medical devices, fluid flow control systems, image reproduction technology and automotive and aerospace technology. Alex is experienced in providing his clients with practical and commercially-focused patent advice, with clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to large multi-national corporations. Alex has extensive patent drafting and prosecution experience before the UK and European patent offices, including oral proceedings, opposition and appeal proceedings at the European Patent Office. Alex also has experience advising on patent validity and infringement, providing freedom to operate opinions and detailed IP due diligence reports. Alex is also a Registered Design Attorney and has extensive experience of advising on the protection of designs and dealing with registered design applications. He also regularly advises on the protection, enforcement and infringement of both registered designs and unregistered design rights in the UK.

Alex Bone

Alex is a partner and UK Chartered and European Patent Attorney in the Engineering, Physics & Mechanical Devices department and has many years of experience, having entered the profession in the year 2000. Alex joined the firm in 2014 following seven years working inhouse at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Ltd where he was responsible for IP support relating to medical delivery devices and packaging projects across the Pharma division. During that time he was also involved in the IP due diligence relating to a number of acquisition and licence deals. Alex’s professional experience covers a broad range of technologies including medical devices and associated formulation technology, oil and gas drilling, food packaging, wind and water turbines, waste treatment and automotive technologies. Alex has considerable experience in advising businesses about IP strategy, including managing freedom to operate risks and the protection of product developments.

Allie Elend

Allie is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney and heads up the Chemical and Life Sciences team in our Cambridge office. Allie specialises in chemical subject matter, in particular pharmaceuticals, small molecule medicinal chemistry, active pharmaceutical ingredients, synthetic chemistry including chiral synthetic chemistry, formulation chemistry, polymorphic forms, first and further medical uses, peptides and proteins, and also cleantech, drug delivery, antisense technology, transdermal patches, medical devices and agrochemicals. She also has experience in polymer chemistry, films and fibres, materials, petrochemicals, and process chemistry. Allie has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting British, European and international patent applications, as well as in patent prosecution in other countries using local attorneys. She manages large international patent portfolios and works with her clients to develop a cohesive IP strategy. Allie enjoys representing her clients at opposition and appeal hearings before the European Patent Office, where she has an enviable track record of success. She also has considerable expertise in infringement and validity issues and regularly clears her clients’ products prior to launch. Allie has a particular interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Her clients include international and medium-sized pharmaceutical and chemical companies, start-ups, academic institutions and universities, as well as private individuals.

Anton Hutter

Anton is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney, and works in our Guildford office. He is a Partner in our Chemical and Life Sciences team. Anton specialises in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical and medical device patent matters. In particular, he has a deep understanding of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, genomics & proteomics, therapeutic antibodies, immunology, immuno-oncology, plant biotechnology, peptides, biomarkers, bioinformatics, diagnostics, vaccines, stem cells, formulations, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals and SPC’s. Anton is especially knowledgeable in patenting genome editing techniques, including CRISPR, as well as neurodegenerative disorders (primarily Alzheimer’s disease) and gene therapy inventions. Anton has gained considerable experience in handling all aspects of patent practice, especially meeting inventors directly, and drafting and prosecuting patent applications before the UKIPO, the EPO and national patent offices. Anton has drafted hundreds of patent applications in the biotechnology, chemical and pharma sectors, and is experienced in managing international patent filing strategies for his clients. Anton has significant experience of advising clients in relation to patent infringement and validity, freedom-to-operate clearances of third party patents, and providing due diligence opinions. Anton also enjoys complex opposition and appeal work, and regularly attends oral proceedings at the EPO. Anton works for a broad spectrum of clients, and has extensive experience of working with academic institutions and associated technology transfer departments, university-derived spin-out companies, SME’s, as well as large multinational biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. He is proactive, and provides his clients with clear, commercially relevant advice. Anton regularly lectures on a variety of IP-related topics, including patenting bioscience inventions.

Anwar Gilani

Anwar is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Chemical and Life Sciences team, based in our Cambridge office. He works on a wide range of technologies including organic semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, polymers and clean technology. After completing a B.Sc. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry Anwar worked as an examiner at the UK Patent Office in the areas of novel organic compounds and medical devices before moving in-house for a Cambridge technology company. Holding the role of IP manager, his responsibilities included managing the prosecution of a large patent portfolio covering Europe, USA and the Far East as well as working with inventors on new patent filings, freedom to operate activities and patent licensing. His experience includes drafting new applications, prosecution before the UK and European patent offices, managing and budgeting for worldwide patent portfolios, IP due diligence activities and freedom to operate analysis.

Camilla Sexton

Since qualifying as a chartered UK trade mark attorney in 2001, Camilla has been advising clients in relation to all aspects of trade mark protection, including searching, registration, watching, enforcement, dispute resolution and general portfolio management. Her experience ranges from clients who are individual entrepreneurs, through small and medium-sized enterprises to listed companies. Her advice encompasses national and international protection and she advises at all stages of a brand from its inception through to enhanced protection for a well-established brand. Over the years Camilla has worked with clients in a wide variety of sectors and she has particular expertise in the fields of entertainment, gaming, pharmaceuticals, beauty, hospitality and beverages.

Catrin Petty

Catrin is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Chemical and Life Sciences team. Catrin specialises in drafting, filing and prosecuting patent applications in a variety of fields, including agrochemistry, drug delivery, food technology, graphene and carbon nanotube technology, nanoparticle technology, peptide and peptoid chemistry, pharmaceuticals, polymer technology, vaccine stabilisation and medical devices. In particular, she has a detailed understanding of small molecule chemistry having worked as a chemist in a multinational pharmaceutical company before training as a patent attorney. A number of small molecule patent applications draft by Catrin have subsequently been licensed by large pharmaceutical companies in multimillion-pound deals. Since becoming a patent attorney Catrin has worked with a large variety of clients including lone inventors, universities and SMEs, as well as large multinational pharmaceutical companies. In working with these clients, Catrin has frequently advised them on their overall IP strategy and worked to ensure that it matches their commercial aims. In addition to drafting, filing and prosecution, Catrin is also able to give advice on patent infringement and validity. Catrin is passionate about ensuring that lone traders and new startups have the knowledge they need to leverage their IP. Accordingly, she regularly gives talking about the basics of intellectual property and how to use it to add value to a company. This has included giving guest lectures to entrepreneurship students at the University of Surrey.

Clare Turnbull

Partner, Trade Mark Attorney, Head of Trade Marks

Craig Turner

Dr Craig Turner is a partner within the chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals patent team and has been in the profession for over 17 years. Craig’s patent practice covers both contentious and non-contentious matters in the fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Craig’s clients include large corporations in the oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industry sectors. Craig heads up the patent team for one of the firm’s biggest clients, an American multinational corporation and one of the world’s largest oil field service companies. Other clients include SMEs, start out companies and academic institutions. Craig is a member of the firm’s finance management group and is involved in the implementation of the financial strategy and plans for the firm.

Daniel Byrne

Daniel Byrne is a partner and barrister with extensive experience in intellectual property disputes and transactions. He has spent many years dealing with complex and technical patent matters and he has experience of multijurisdictional litigation and coordination, particularly across Europe where he spent two years practising in Paris. He has acted for clients across the full range of intellectual property rights at all levels of tribunal and has been a Deputy District Judge in the County Court since 2015. He also sits in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court to hear, primarily, trade mark and copyright claims. He sits on the consulting editorial board for LEXIS-NEXIS IP and contributes to journals and academic programmes.

David Birchall

David is a solicitor (non–practising) and a chartered UK trade mark attorney and has been working in trade mark prosecution and related intellectual property fields since 2000. He specialises in the management of trade mark portfolios, prosecution of UK, European Union and international marks and co-existence arrangements. He works closely with trade mark attorneys in foreign countries in relation to the prosecution and management of trade mark registrations in those countries and has particular expertise in the field of worldwide licence recordals. David also handles domain name disputes and formal complaints to domain name authorities. David started his career as a solicitor in a London law firm where he specialised in trade mark licensing and prosecution. He then spent three years working as an in-house trade mark adviser for well known sports brands before joining Venner Shipley at the beginning of 2012.

Gary Whiting

Gary is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. Gary has been working with patents, mainly in the fields of electronics, software, telecommunications and engineering since joining the patent profession in 1997. Gary has always enjoyed supporting a wide spectrum of clients, including university spin-outs, SMEs and large multi-national corporations. In addition, he has spent almost ten years working as an in-house patent attorney, resulting in a practical, commercially-focused approach to intellectual property in general and patents in particular. Gary has drafted and prosecuted many patent applications around the world and has particular experience of patent prosecution before the UK, European, US, Chinese and German Patent Offices. He also has extensive experience in providing freedom-to-operate advice, including the understanding and mitigation of risk.

Geoff Hussey

With over 14 years’ experience, Geoff joined A.A. Thornton & Co. in 2016 as a Partner bringing IP litigation to the firm for the first time. Geoff’s (IP) litigation practice relates to all forms of IP rights and a wide range of industries. He has extensive experience in patent litigation before the UK Patents Court and in patent oppositions, and his experience spans sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals and electronics. His contentious trade mark experience also includes passing off, reverse passing off and disputes involving trade mark licences; and he has experience in relation to disputes concerning contractual arrangements involving IP and copyright, design right and confidential information disputes. Geoff also sits on the marketing management group, which focuses on business development activities for the firm.

Gloria Parmesan

Gloria is a chartered UK trade mark attorney with over 20 years’ experience of advising clients in relation to all aspects of trade mark management including brand clearance, trade mark registration, enforcement, dispute resolution and general trade mark portfolio management. Her clients range from individuals, SME’s to owners of major multi-national brands. Gloria has particular expertise in managing global clearance, rebranding and trade mark protection programmes for multi-national businesses in the insurance and investment sectors. She provides commercially focused and strategic advice tailored to meet a client’s specific needs.

Ian Gill

Ian Gill has been a partner since 2001. With over 20 years in the field, Ian specialises in contentious and non-contentious issues relating to trade marks and design. Ian’s technical expertise spans the full spectrum of intellectual property law, including trade marks, registered designs and patents. The bulk of his work relates to trade mark prosecution and enforcement, including related issues such as intellectual property portfolio management and domain name dispute resolution proceedings. Ian’s clients span a diverse range of industries, but his particular focus is in the food and beverage and fashion sectors. Ian also leads the firm’s systems group, who are responsible for IT hardware and software, including the specialist IP software systems that support the smooth and efficient running of the firm.

Ian Grey

Ian is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney and heads up our Mechanical team. Ian specialises in the drafting, filing and prosecution of British, European and International patent applications relating to mechanical and electromechanical type inventions and acts for a diverse range of clients including some large corporations and other UK companies working across the broad spectrum of mechanical engineering. Ian has particular experience in advising on the most cost-effective way in which to obtain and maximise protection for their inventions as well as on avoiding infringement of competitors’ intellectual property rights. Although he deals with a wide variety of technology in the mechanical field, Ian has particular experience in medical devices, packaging and packaging machinery, consumer products, large-scale printing press machinery and aviation. In addition to his patent practice, Ian has extensive knowledge in the field of law relating to designs and regularly files and prosecutes UK design applications, as well as advising clients on potential infringement and validity issues of both registered and unregistered design rights.

Jan Walaski

Jan heads up the Electronics, Software and Communications team, having stepped down from his position as Managing Partner, which he held from 2015 to 2021. He is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney and solicitor. Prior to his legal career, he gained industry experience as a control engineer in one of the UK’s largest chemical/pharmaceutical companies, working mainly on control technology and software simulation of manufacturing processes. Jan specialises in patent prosecution and advice in the electronics and software fields. He enjoys the variety and challenge of working in new fields of technology and has gained experience over a wide range of technical subject matter, including cryptography, digital systems, display technology, telecommunications, operating system software and fuel and battery cell technology, to name but a few. He also has substantial experience of prosecuting applications in the challenging area of business related software, where he has acted for a betting exchange as well as providers of trading, gaming and other internet based platforms. Jan has extensive experience of European prosecution, opposition and appeal procedures and is increasingly involved in litigation matters, both before the EPO and in infringement proceedings before the UK courts, as part of Venner Shipley’s legal team.

Jane Martin

Jane is a chartered trade mark attorney at Venner Shipley with over 35 years of experience. Before joining a private practice in 2000, Jane was a director at Markforce, the legal arm of the global branding Agency Interbrand. While there she regularly conducted multi-territory and International searching and filing programmes and managed the global Trade Mark portfolios of a number of multinational businesses.

John Chettle

John is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney with expertise in the software and engineering fields. He has a background in physics and is a specialist in autonomous and electric vehicle technology, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic and computer-based object recognition, robotic control, deep learning and neural networks, mobile operating systems, and IoT devices. John works closely with in-house IP counsel, inventors and overseas colleagues to prepare and prosecute families of patent applications in often fast moving areas. He thrives on helping organisations to obtain the IP that will help them maintain control in their sector, protect them from threats, and give freedom of opportunity. He has been recommended as a Key Individual in the Legal 500 PATMA: Patent Attorneys and is described by his clients as doing ‘an excellent job of providing clear and thoughtful strategies’, ‘always suggesting strategies that make sense’, and giving ‘calmly delivered advice that keeps us looking forward’. In addition to his wide experience of patent matters, John is an experienced UK designs attorney and an IP Litigator (patent).

Jonathan Hancox

Jonathan is an experienced European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. Jonathan trained and qualified in private practice, following which, in 2002, he joined Kimberly-Clark, a US-based multinational consumer goods corporation, as in-house European Patent Counsel. In this role, he gained significant commercial experience in the areas of European Oppositions and Appeals, infringement clearance, validity assessments and patent enforcement. Jonathan returned to private practice in 2009. Jonathan handles patent work across the engineering field, including mechanical, electrical and electronic subject-matter. He also handles registered designs.

Kirsty Dolphin

Kirsty is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Chemical and Life Sciences team with a particular focus on the Biotech sector and Antibodies and Cell and Gene Therapy. Kirsty has experience of drafting patent applications, prosecuting them around the world and regularly handles Oppositions and Appeals before the European Patent Office. Kirsty’s practice covers inventions across a broad range of the biotechnology sector such as gene therapy, vaccines, antibodies, recombinant DNA technology, immunology, siRNA, sequencing and screening methods and diagnostics. Kirsty also has experience in handling SPCs and large freedom to operate and due diligence projects. Prior to joining private practice, Kirsty worked in-house at Procter & Gamble where she was responsible for multiple areas of the fast moving consumer goods market. Working in-house gives Kirsty first-hand knowledge of clients’ commercial needs. She advises with a strong sense of commercial awareness leading to strong relations with clients both locally and abroad be that lone inventors, SMEs, large multinationals or her network of foreign associates.

Marianne Privett

Marianne began her patent career in 2003 at Johnson Matthey. Whilst at Johnson Matthey, Marianne helped draft and prosecute patent applications relating to platinum-based anti-cancer pharmaceutical products, opiate and opioid pharmaceutical products, pharmaceutical compositions and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, and helped to manage global patent portfolios in a range of technical fields. She moved into private practice in 2007 and has subsequently gained further experience in life sciences and biotechnology. Marianne is a partner in our Chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals department. She also sits on the firm's systems group, who is responsible for IT hardware and software, including the specialist IP software systems that support the smooth and efficient running of the firm.

Mike Jennings

Partner Mike Jennings leads AAThornton’s highly rated Electrical Patents group. He specialises in patent protection, patent oppositions and IP strategy advice for a range of technologies including areas of physics, electrical engineering and computer-related inventions. Mike has more than 20 years' experience handling patent drafting and prosecution of European, UK and PCT patent applications in areas such as computer systems, storage and software including computer modelling and simulation, automated controls, electromagnetic and optical sensing technologies for locating hydrocarbons and for detecting gases, and telecommunications. Mike handles a substantial opposition case load and has an enviable success rate in EPO oppositions and appeals thanks to commitment and proactivity.Mike also advises on software patentability and infringement and validity of patents. Mike's clients include multinational corporations and leading companies in the UK and many other countries, including clients in the oil and gas industry, the telecommunications sector, engineering, gas detection, consumer electronics and computing.

Nick South

Nick is a partner in the firm’s Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecoms & IT patents department, where he has nearly 20 years of experienceadvising a wide range of clients in patent matters relating to technologies including electromagnetic sensors, semiconductor technology, electric motors and medical instruments, as well as design registrations and unregistered design rights. Nick has long been involved with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys as a lecturer on their training course for the profession’s patent administrators. He also writes legal updates on developments in patent law, and has been published in Intellectual Property Magazine. Before joining the firm, Nick followed his Engineering degree by obtaining a post-graduate certificate in Design, Manufacture and Management, visiting over 100 companies and carrying out projects across a range of manufacturing industries, to gain an insight into different manufacturing practices and commercial issues. Nick is a member of the firm's systems group, who is responsible for IT hardware and software, including the specialist IP software systems that support the smooth and efficient running of the firm.

Nikesh Patel

Nikesh is a partner and UK Chartered and European Patent Attorney in the Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecoms & IT patents department and has been practising in the field of intellectual property law for over 15 years. He directly advises UK and overseas clients on patent matters including identification of patentable subject matter. Nikesh has drafted and prosecuted patent applications in a wide variety of technologies, including computer implemented inventions, in which he has considerable experience in advising on the threshold of patentability in the UK and Europe. He also provides strategic advice for SMEs and large multinationals and manages worldwide patent portfolios for his clients. Nikesh is a member of the firm's systems group, who is responsible for IT hardware and software, including the specialist IP software systems that support the smooth and efficient running of the firm.

Oliver Anderson

Oliver is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. Oliver has been working with patents in the fields of electronics, software, telecommunications and engineering. He provides advice on all aspects of patent procedure, both in Europe and worldwide, and has experience of working with clients of all sizes. He has drafted and prosecuted patent applications for many different types of computer-implemented invention, particularly relating to software, mobile devices, telecommunications and audio and image processing. He also has experience with, among other fields, medical devices and electricity metering, and enjoys the diverse nature of his work. In addition to drafting and prosecution, Oliver also provides due diligence services, such as patent infringement and validity opinions, and advice in relation to portfolio management and third party patents.

Paul Derry

Paul is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney. Paul worked previously in the patent department of an electronics and defence company and as a patent examiner at the UK IPO. Paul specialises in inventions relating to mobile telecommunications, mobile phones, user interfaces, Bluetooth, software and business methods, digital electronics, payment processing networks and electronic transaction processing, medical devices including medicament delivery devices, data storage, lighting control systems, RF circuits, antennas, and satellite positioning systems. He has drafted hundreds of patent specifications and has prosecuted many patent applications directly before the UK and European patent offices, and before the US, Chinese, Korean, Canadian, Australian and Japanese patent offices through associates. In addition to his patent creation experience, Paul has handled numerous opposition and appeal cases before the EPO, and is experienced in landscaping, freedom-to-operate searching and advice, IP audits, and assisting clients with their internal IP systems and procedures. He also advises on patent transactions and licensing. Paul considers education and training to be of the utmost importance. He helps to train patent attorneys and regularly provides seminars on patent law. A number of Paul’s articles have been published in the press, and he has provided law and skills tutoring to in-house patent professionals of a multinational client company. Paul has also been involved in the setting of the finals patent examinations which lead to qualification as a UK patent attorney.

Pawel Piotrowicz

Pawel is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. He has industry experience having previously worked as a researcher for a major multinational electronics company developing memory devices. He represents a wide variety of clients in the high technology sector including a significant number of private inventors and start-up companies and clients located in the UK, Europe, Japan and the US and large multinational companies. Pawel specialises in the fields of physics, electronics and computer software, and also in inventions which are multi-disciplinary in nature. His areas of expertise include semiconductor devices, embedded systems, power electronics, automotive electronics, nanotechnology, spintronics, printed electronics, RFID devices, telecommunications, computer networks, computer simulation, optical systems, sensors and medical devices. He handles applications, oppositions and appeals at the European Patent Office and the UK Intellectual Property Office. He is familiar with overseas practice, particularly the US, Japan, Korea and China, obtaining protection for his clients via local associates. He also give opinions on infringement and validity. Pawel is regularly invited by companies and universities to lecture on intellectual property and to hold intellectual property ‘clinics’. He has been reported in the press and given radio interviews on intellectual property.

Peter Thorniley

Peter is a partner in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. He is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney with a background in physics, particularly in theoretical physics. Peter has long enjoyed a practice which consistently engages with the cutting edge of technology. This has encompassed a broad range of technical subject matter, including telecoms and aerospace, but has always included a specialisation in data processing and computer programs more generally. In recent years, Peter has been pleased to put his mathematical expertise to work in the fascinating area of machine learning and neural networks in particular. Peter is passionate about this revolutionary technology and is proud to be a part of the community supporting its development. Peter has extensive experience supporting patent prosecution strategies of multinational corporations. He also has a strong background supporting the university sector and spin-out companies arising from this area. As well as prosecuting applications in the UK and Europe, he has extensive experience managing international portfolios, particularly in the US, China, Japan, Korea, Canada and Australia. He is proactive in providing commercial as well as legal insight, and has extensive experience of freedom-to-operate and due diligence processes. He has also worked to support clients involved multi-jurisdictional patent litigation. Peter lectures on the subject of computer-implemented inventions at Queen Mary University of London.

Philip Harrison

Philip is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. He specialises in the fields of electronics, fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs), machinery, packaging, telecommunication and software. He has particular experience in subject matter relating to consumer electronic devices, analogue and digital circuit design, antennas, integrated circuit fabrication, optics, satellite technology and digital signal processing. Philip enjoys the challenges involved in pursuing the broadest patent protection for clients and attends hearings at the European Patent Office relating to both the examination of patent applications and post-grant oppositions. He has significant experience in handling multi-jurisdictional due dilligence matters, in client patent portfolio review and analysis, as well as in advising clients on the patentability of software implemented inventions in the UK and Europe. He also works closely with patent attorneys in countries including the United States, China, Japan, Russia and Australia on matters relating to the prosecution of patent applications, as well as the infringement and validity of third party patent applications, in those jurisdictions.

Richard Kennedy

Richard is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney and is a partner at the firm. He deals with patent matters in a range of deep tech areas including machine learning, photonics and quantum computing. Clients describe him as “a great team player” who “gets results” and as being “very personable to work with” (Legal 500, 2020). In its 2021 guide, the Legal 500 notes that he “has unique understanding in the machine learning field and understands the intricacies and depth of description required for prosecution support and exceptional claim breadth”. Other client feedback endorses his “very strong technical skills on complex machine learning subject matter”, and notes that he is “highly in-tune with ongoing policy developments”, having been at the “forefront of debates around AI and IP”. Richard has extensive experience of working with multinational companies and SMEs, usually acting as outside counsel but also at times in an outsourced “in-house” role, and has also assisted a variety of start-ups and universities. He takes a practical, collaborative and commercial approach to patent work, and enjoys working with clients to secure best protection for their innovation. His practice covers invention capture, original drafting, patent prosecution before the EPO and around the world, as well as oppositions, freedom-to-operate opinions, and appeals. Richard lectures in patent drafting for AI inventions at the Centre d’Études Internationales de la Propriété Intellectuelle (CEIPI).

Rob Sayer

Rob is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. Rob previously worked for another large patent firm and in-house for a leading telecoms provider. Prior to joining Venner Shipley, Rob co-founded and was a partner in a small patent firm in Surrey. Rob specialises in inventions in the electrical and electronics fields, mainly in the areas of telecommunications, analogue and digital circuitry, RF systems and antennas, satellite positioning systems, mobile telephones, mobile network infrastructures, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, data analytics and electronic payment systems. He regularly drafts and prosecutes patent applications before the UK and European Patent Offices, and works with overseas attorneys to secure protection in numerous countries including the US, China, and Japan. In addition to his patent work, Rob also advises on copyright and design matters.

Rob Cork

Robert is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. Rob has extensive experience of drafting and prosecuting UK and European patent applications for electronic and software-implemented inventions, and specialises in cases with technically complex subject-matter. He also advises clients on the management and prosecution of patent applications in other jurisdictions, including the US, China and Japan. He has successfully obtained granted patents for clients across a wide range of technical fields, including networking, telecommunications and broadcasting standards, user interfaces, image processing algorithms, global navigation systems, and satellite technology. Rob works with a wide variety of clients. He always strives to provide clear, commercially-focused advice, and ensures that his clients are fully aware of the commercial implications of a particular course of action before any decisions are taken.

Sarah Neil

Sarah Darby

Sarah is a partner and UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and European Trade Mark and Designs Attorney. Sarah handles trade marks, designs and copyright in the UK, EU and worldwide. Sarah advises on all types of trade mark matters from the inception of a brand and checking its availability to obtaining registrations, commercialisation of rights and enforcement of rights in opposition actions, cancellation actions and litigation. Sarah also deals with domain name registrations, purchases and complaints, as well as customs and counterfeit issues. Sarah advises both domestic and international clients, in industry sectors such as food & beverages, luxury goods, agriculture, gaming and sports.

Siân Gill

Siân was appointed the firm’s Managing Partner in 2024. She is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney with over 25 years’ experience. She specialises in the drafting, filing and prosecution of patent applications in a broad spectrum of technical fields that includes pharmaceuticals, formulation technology, drug delivery, molecular biology, biological assays, gene sequences, DNA sequencing technologies, array technologies, genomics proteomics, stem cells, diagnostics, cancer therapeutics, immuno-therapeutics, cell culturing technology and equipment, medical devices, substrates for inhalation systems, food and plant products and processing, filter technology and packaging technology. Siân specialises in managing international patent portfolios and coordinating prosecution around the globe, using her extensive knowledge of local patent law and practice to obtain the best outcomes for her clients. Siân works closely with clients to ensure that they get the most out of their intellectual property, making sure that key development work is adequately protected and devising IP strategies to give them a competitive advantage. Most importantly, Siân assists clients to align their IP with the overall commercial and strategic aims of their business. She strives to consistently provide proactive, business-relevant advice by not only getting to know her clients’ technology and business, but also those of their competitors. Siân regularly delivers presentations on a variety of topics including the developing caselaw around Plausibility at the EPO and in the national courts around Europe and is an active member of a number of biotech organisations. Siân is passionate about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and is a member of the Senior Leaders’ Think Tank of IP Inclusive and a member of Venner Shipley’s EDI forum. Siân is also a member of the firm’s ESG Committee.

Simon Taor

Simon is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Electronics, Software and Communications team. In addition to working with large multinationals, he has a large amount of experience working with universities, tech start-ups and SMEs. He has a vast amount of experience drafting and prosecuting UK and European patent applications in a number of fields from general mechanical and electrical work through to Internet related subject matter and computer implemented inventions. In particular, he has worked on patent applications related to semiconductor devices, optical devices, display devices, energy storage devices, fault protection systems, data processing, electronic payment methods, and mobile telecommunications. In addition, Simon is an expert on essentiality evaluations for patent Standards, and he has carried out essentiality evaluations in a number of fields, including mobile telecommunications, mapping technologies and optical discs. Simon also has a large amount of experience filing UK and European Community design applications.

Stephen Johnson

Stephen is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney in our Chemical and Life Sciences team. Stephen has a wide range of experience across all aspects of patent law, from the drafting, filing and prosecution of British, European and international patent applications, to working on opposition and appeal cases before the European Patent Office and undertaking infringement clearance tasks. Throughout his career, Stephen has specialised in new technologies across a variety of chemically orientated fields. A particular focus of his interest concerns synthetic organic, medicinal, and process chemistry, pharmaceutical formulations, polymorphic forms, and the medical uses of small chemical entities. Stephen is also familiar with new technologies across a variety of other chemically orientated fields, having acted as agent for patent applications pertaining to lubricants & fuel oils, oil well compositions, polymers, catalysts, organic semiconductors, lithium iron battery technologies and medical devices.

Tim Russell

Tim is a European and Chartered Patent Attorney. He heads up our Chemical and Life Sciences team and has a background in chemistry and the pharmaceutical industry. Tim advises clients in the pharmaceutical sector, helping them develop their IP strategy and helping them achieve desired outcomes by combining his legal, scientific and commercial experience. Tim also works for clients in other chemistry-related industries such as absorbents, additives, agrochemicals, chemical processes, detergents, fine chemicals, food chemistry, liquid crystal displays, oil & gas, and polymers. Tim advises a wide range of client types both large and small, e.g. multinationals, start-ups, and universities, in the UK, Europe and internationally. Tim’s work has evolved such that he is an expert on EPO oppositions and appeals as well as providing freedom-to-operate advice, enforcement advice, and litigation support. He has been successful in many EPO oppositions and appeals and his input in corresponding contentious proceedings in other parts of the world is frequently requested by clients. This experience helps Tim provide invaluable advice to patent holders and 3rd parties involved in complex post-grant issues. Tim can also apply this knowledge of post-grant proceedings to help clients devise an effective patent filing and prosecution strategy that maximises the chances of their patents surviving any post-grant challenges by 3rd parties. Tim’s experience in the pharmaceutical and chemical fields covers various subject-matter including adjuvants, catalysis, compositions, personalised medicine, polymorphic forms, small molecule active ingredients, synthetic processes, and first and further medical uses.

Yoann Rousseau

Yoann is a chartered UK trade mark attorney with extensive knowledge of trade mark and copyright law. Prior to joining Venner Shipley, Yoann was in-house IP Counsel for a well-known, pan-European, telecom retail company for several years. He brings a commercial approach to provide both practical and proactive advice to clients. Yoann advises on all aspects of trade mark law and practice, including management and organisation of IP portfolios, clearance for use and registration of new marks, prosecution and enforcement of intellectual property rights. He has extensive experience in contentious trade mark proceedings, such as oppositions and cancellation actions before the UK and EU Intellectual Property Offices, including trade mark hearings before the UK Intellectual Property Office. Yoann also advises on domain name disputes (before ICANN and Nominet) and has particular expertise in drafting and negotiating trade mark licences and assignments.

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