Our patents team is formed of qualified European and/or UK Patent attorneys with a first degree in a relevant technical subject. We can handle patent applications in any technical area and have specialists with expertise in computer software and IT, the automotive field, biotechnology and medical devices. We recognise that whilst the technical detail is important to the underlying strength of a patent, patents are business tools and it is important to balance a client's budget against best strategy for filing, prosecution and litigation.
Stephen is a British and European Patent and Trade Mark Attorney. is a British and European Patent and Trade Mark Attorney. He studied physics at Merton College, Oxford and also has an external law degree from London University. For eight years he was an examiner in the U.K. Patent Office. He has a good command of technical German. He is a member of the Council of the Licensing Executives Society (Britain and Ireland).
He is a member of FICPI and also a fellow of the Institute of Physics. He has given I.P. seminars in the U.K., Scandinavia and Japan. Away from the office he is a hockey umpire and a local school governor.
Robert is a British and European Patent Attorney and a Patent Attorney Litigator. He has a degree in electronic engineering and a Masters in Law specialising in litigation. He is the original author of the book "European Patent Decisions" (updated bi-annually) which sells in 25 countries throughout the world.
He has worked both in private and industrial practice, having spent four years with the European Patent Department of General Motors Corporation. He also tutors candidates for the Qualifying Examination for European Patent Attorneys.
His interests include skiing, tennis, swimming, marathon running, and visiting the cinema and the theatre.
Ian is a British and European Patent Attorney who has taken the relatively unusual step of qualifying as a Trade Mark Attorney by examination. Indeed, he was the recipient of the Payne-Bennett Memorial Award for the candidate with the highest mark in the Advanced UK Trade Mark Practice paper. Before entering the profession he studied chemistry at The Queen's College, Oxford , where he also submitted a thesis on the history and philosophy of science. He has a particular interest in the patenting of chemical polymers, agrochemicals and medical devices, and in the rapidly growing field of trade marks and the Internet.
Ian is active in education in the profession, having given tutorials for the Chartered Institute's Advanced Patent papers. In the past he has been a keen canoeist and oarsman, but stays on dry land these days, to pursue his interests of cycling, theatre and cinema.
Jonathan is a British and European Patent Attorney. He studied Cybernetics with Computer Science at Reading University. While at university, he was sponsored by British Telecommunications plc and worked in their Natural Language and Cybernetics groups where he specialised in artificial intelligence programming methods, particularly neural networks and genetic programming.
Jonathan has particular interest in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the computer sciences and business method areas and is able to offer advice based on practical experience as well as theoretical knowledge in fields including artificial intelligence, computer networking, computer systems and data communications.
Jonathan is also a Chartered IT Professional and is a member of the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. He is active in promoting IP awareness in UK IT companies. In his spare time Jonathan runs and competes in triathlon competitions.
Emma is a British and European Patent Attorney. After obtaining a BSc in pharmacology and physiology from the University of Manchester, Emma moved to the School of Pharmacy, University of London. Here she carried out research into the drug modulation of neurotransmitter receptors using a variety of electrophysiological, molecular biological and biochemical techniques and was awarded a PhD in 2000 for her thesis titled “Regulatory domains of GABAA receptors”.
Following her PhD she was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at The School of Pharmacy where she continued her research whilst teaching and supervising undergraduate students.
Emma has particular interest in the patenting of nucleic acid arrays, drug delivery systems, medical devices and in the areas of immunology and proteomics. Her interests outside of the office include hill walking and yoga.
Katherine is a British and European Patent Attorney. She obtained a BSc in Molecular Biology with French from the University of Manchester . This included a year carrying out research at the Institut de Génétique Moléculaire in Montpellier , France . She then completed a Masters in Research in Biological Sciences at Manchester, which involved diverse research projects relating to the molecular biology of bone development, the classification of anaerobic fungi, and a study of trypanosomes using RNA interference. Katherine then studied gene expression in the malaria parasite at the National Institute for Medical Research in Mill Hill, London , and was awarded a PhD from the University of London for her thesis entitled “Nuclear genes involved in the maintenance of the malarial plastid”.
Katherine works on, amongst other things, the patenting of nucleic acid arrays and their use in hybridisation assays, methods of oligonucleotide synthesis, diagnostic tests and treatments for several important diseases, and medical devices. Katherine's outside interests include walking, tennis, reading and going to the cinema.
Sarah is a British and European Patent Attorney. Prior to entering the patent profession she studied Chemistry at Jesus College, Oxford, where she spent a year carrying out research into the neurotoxicity of a peptide implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.
Since joining Williams Powell, Sarah has been working mostly in the fields of chemical polymers and medical devices. Before making the move into private practice she spent five years working in industry for a company specialising in the development of scientific equipment, dental and medical devices, and other precision measurement equipment. Outside of work Sarah enjoys cooking, walking, foreign travel, and going to the theatre.
Kevin is a British and European Patent Attorney. After obtaining a Master of Physics degree from the University of Hull, he stayed in Hull to carry out research involving the physical characterisation of liquid crystals for use in display devices, and was awarded a PhD in 2003 for a thesis entitled “Nematic Liquid Crystals: Flexoelectricity and Surface Alignment”.
Kevin’s interests outside of the office include attending gigs and reading, and he is currently learning to play the ukulele. He is a keen snowboarder, and he likes to keep fit and make the most of the great British countryside through running and hill walking.
David is a European Patent Attorney. David read Physics at St. Peter’s College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Masters degree. During the final year of his degree, David specialised jointly in condensed matter physics and theoretical physics, submitting a Masters project which combined aspects of both disciplines.
David works in a variety of technical areas, including mechanical, semiconductor and optical devices. His interests include playing badminton and squash. He also enjoys attending the theatre and classical music concerts.