Venner Shipley LLP

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).

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys Member of the European Patent Institute European Patent Litigator UPC Authorised Representative IP Litigation Certificate

Richard has a background in optics, photonics and laser technology, having completed a PhD in this area at Imperial College London before entering the patent profession in 2006.  He also has a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College Dublin, in physics.