Michelle Catto is a Senior Associate at FB Rice in Australia, specialising in medical technology and engineering. With a background in medical device development, she brings an engineer’s perspective to intellectual property, helping innovators consider patents alongside regulatory, investment and commercial objectives as they build businesses with ambitions extending beyond Australia.
Quick Profile
Name:Michelle Catto Role: Senior Associate Firm / organisation:FB Rice Location: Australia – Sydney Areas of expertise: Medical technology, medical devices, engineering, patent drafting and prosecution, IP strategy, portfolio management and freedom to operate
A happy accident: from engineering to IP
Michelle describes her move into intellectual property as a “happy accident”.
She began her career at Cochlear, joining its graduate programme before moving into production engineering. The programme gave her experience across manufacturing, quality, regulatory, design, new product industrialisation and returned device analysis.
One department she never experienced was IP. “I didn’t even really think about it as an option back then,” she says.
That changed through a colleague at Cochlear who was a patent attorney but had spent time working in the regulatory team. The two stayed in touch. Several years later, when Michelle mentioned she was looking for a change, her former colleague suggested something completely different: joining her team as a trainee attorney.
Michelle started asking questions about the profession and quickly saw its appeal.
“IP is at this really interesting intersection between technology and law and business strategy,” she explains. “I really love problem solving and strategic thinking, and I’m a skilled communicator, so it really felt like a natural fit for me.”
Her engineering experience remains fundamental to the way she works. It helps her understand complex technologies quickly and connect with inventors and technical teams. In fact, Michelle jokes that she probably uses her engineering skills more as a patent attorney than she did as an engineer.
Finding a home in MedTech
Today, Michelle works within FB Rice’s broader engineering team, focusing predominantly on medical technology. It is an area particularly close to her heart.
“There’s such a tangible link to making a positive impact in people’s lives,” she says.
Her clients range from small start-ups to multinational businesses, but the common thread is solving real problems in healthcare.
For Michelle, MedTech is also intellectually fascinating because so many disciplines intersect. Science, engineering and medicine meet regulatory requirements and commercial considerations.
“Every project is interesting and different,” she says. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of that journey and know that the work I’m doing is feeding into something that’s actually going to help people.”
Australian innovation with global ambitions
Michelle believes Australia produces world-class research and innovation, particularly in MedTech and healthcare. “We’re a relatively small country, but in this area we often say that we punch above our weight.”
Australia benefits from a strong academic research environment. Michelle also points to the country’s growing appeal as a destination for clinical trials. Together, these factors create opportunities to develop ideas, generate evidence and validate technologies.
The greater challenge can come in moving from an innovative idea to a successful global business.
Access to capital can be more limited than in larger markets. Australian companies also often need to consider international expansion much earlier in their development. That makes joined-up strategic thinking particularly important.
Michelle believes businesses that align their IP, regulatory and commercialisation strategies early are generally better positioned for long-term success.
The relatively small domestic market also means even early-stage Australian businesses may see themselves as global companies from the outset.
“Long-term growth often means looking beyond our shores,” she explains.
Manufacturing capability, international partnerships and global networks can all influence where a company goes next. In turn, those choices have implications for IP.
Michelle therefore encourages clients to think early about where they intend to develop, manufacture and sell their products. Those decisions influence both protection strategies and the third-party risks they may encounter.
“Having that global perspective from the beginning really helps to ensure that the decisions they’re making now will support that journey as they expand.”
Looking beyond the patent
As Michelle’s career has developed, so has the nature of the advice she provides.
Early in a patent attorney’s career, she explains, much of the focus is naturally on drafting and prosecution. Deep technical and legal expertise takes years to build, often with guidance from experienced practitioners and mentors.
Those skills remain fundamental. However, Michelle’s own work increasingly involves helping clients navigate a much broader innovation ecosystem.
“In MedTech particularly, IP is one important piece of a much larger puzzle.”
Regulatory strategy, reimbursement, investment, manufacturing, market entry and commercial partnerships can all influence whether a technology ultimately succeeds.
For Michelle, an important part of her role is helping clients understand where IP fits within that bigger picture. “It’s about how you can use IP, not just to tick a box and say, ‘we’ve got a patent’, but to support your broader business objectives.”
Those conversations often start with two deceptively simple questions: where is the client now, and where do they want to go?
The answer may depend on whether a business is raising capital, building value ahead of an acquisition, seeking strategic partnerships or pursuing another commercial objective. Some clients arrive with a clear strategy. Others are still working it out.
Michelle sees her role as working alongside her clients. She cannot determine their business strategy for them, but she can help them understand the IP component and how it connects with their wider plans.
When IP unlocks something bigger
For Michelle, some of the most satisfying moments are when IP contributes to a wider commercial milestone. “I love those moments where you see IP working to help unlock something bigger.”
That could mean supporting a funding round, progress towards an IPO or a commercial partnership. The value comes from knowing that protecting important aspects of a technology is helping the client move towards a larger goal.
With established organisations, the relationship can look very different. Michelle enjoys working with in-house counsel and business leaders to understand how individual technologies fit within much larger portfolios.
This might involve tailoring prosecution strategies to broader commercial objectives. It can also involve freedom to operate work to help businesses understand and navigate third-party risks.
In both cases, the patent attorney becomes part of executing a wider strategy rather than working on IP in isolation.
Asking why nobody has done it before
There is one question Michelle particularly likes asking engineers at an early stage of developing a new medical device:
“Why hasn’t anyone done this before?”
The answer can reveal far more than might initially be expected.
If nobody has thought of the idea before, that is interesting. But Michelle finds it even more revealing when others have tried and failed.
Understanding why previous approaches did not gain traction can expose critical points of innovation. It can identify commercial risks and unexplored opportunities. It may also reveal which elements of a new technology are most important to protect.
Sometimes the previous barrier was technical. At other times, the problem was a failure to understand what the eventual users actually needed.
For Michelle, understanding the end user is an important part of looking at an innovation more broadly. Considering who will use a technology, what they need and why previous approaches may have fallen short can reveal valuable insights into both the innovation and its commercial potential.
It can also help identify which aspects of a new technology may be particularly important to protect.
Supporting the next generation in STEM
Michelle is passionate about STEM education and diversity, partly because she remembers the support she received from others.
“I really see the benefit that I’ve gained from other people investing in me, particularly other women who are more senior in the profession.”
She now wants to offer that same encouragement to others.
Michelle also believes perceptions of STEM careers can be unnecessarily narrow. Engineering and science can lead in many different directions, as her own career demonstrates.
She is involved in supporting early-stage accelerators within the MedTech sector, including through IP education and early-stage due diligence. She enjoys helping young companies understand IP while they are still finding their feet.
There is also a personal motivation.
Michelle has three daughters and wants them to grow up seeing STEM as somewhere they can fully belong, should they choose that path. As they get older, she has become increasingly interested in engaging with girls at school level.
“I’ve got a lot of good stories to tell and I’d like to share those, I think, with the next generation.”
Building careers for the long term
Michelle’s perspective on careers has also been shaped by balancing professional development with family life.
Her biggest lesson is that people have different levels of capacity at different stages of their lives. “The best workplaces are ones that are flexible enough to see someone’s value, not just in the moment, but over the long term.”
She credits FB Rice with providing the flexibility that has helped her build a sustainable career alongside raising her family. Parental leave has been particularly important. Michelle believes equitable parental leave matters not only for mothers, but for their partners too.
The leave available to her partner gave Michelle greater capacity to concentrate on returning to work. It also allowed him time to focus on family.
She would like to see more organisations offer, and encourage people to take, equitable parental leave, allowing caring responsibilities to be shared more evenly.
Life beyond IP
Outside work, family naturally occupies much of Michelle’s time. But she also enjoys finding new ways to challenge herself.
Around five years ago, she took up the cello as an adult beginner. She had learned piano growing up but had always wanted to play cello. When her eldest daughter began learning, Michelle decided to join her.
Learning together has been rewarding, although Michelle suspects her daughter may soon overtake her. Her second daughter has now started too, meaning there are currently three cellos in the family home. Her eldest has ambitions to add a double bass, creating what Michelle laughingly describes as a potential logistical problem for the car.
She also loves being outdoors. Living around an hour west of Sydney in the Blue Mountains gives her plenty of opportunities for hiking, trail running and swimming in the creeks during summer.
Her favourite local walk is Mount Solitary. Rising from the Jamison Valley, it offers expansive views back towards Katoomba and the Three Sisters, and across the surrounding landscape.
Further afield, Tasmania is somewhere she returns to repeatedly. She particularly recommends the Three Capes Track, describing Tasmania as “the most magical place I’ve ever been”.
Whether learning an instrument or heading into the mountains, stepping away from work gives Michelle a chance to use her mind differently. “I always find when I return that I’ve got new perspectives and new ideas.”
Staying open to unexpected opportunities
For engineers considering IP, Michelle’s advice reflects her own unconventional route into the profession: find mentors, talk to people and remain open to opportunities that were never part of the original plan.
She also recommends trying to understand what the work really involves before committing to it. “Find a patent attorney and ask them out for coffee,” she suggests. Ask them to explain the fundamentals of patent drafting. “It’ll either really fascinate you or you’ll quickly realise it’s not for you.”
If it is fascinating, Michelle encourages people not to assume they need to fit a particular mould. The profession combines technical expertise with communication, strategy and commercial thinking. That creates room for different backgrounds and different ways of approaching problems.
“If you’re curious and you enjoy learning and solving problems, then it can be a really rewarding career.”
For Michelle, that curiosity has taken her from engineering into a profession she had never originally considered. It now allows her to combine the technical thinking she enjoys with a much wider view of innovation, helping businesses understand not simply how to obtain IP, but how it can support the journey from an idea to commercial success.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld, a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions, on our About Us
Paul Renwick is a Patent Attorney at Marks & Clerk Singapore whose career has taken him from engineering in the UK to patent practice in New Zealand and Singapore. Qualified as an Australian and New Zealand Patent Attorney, he helps innovators protect commercially valuable inventions while bringing an international perspective to intellectual property.
Patent drafting and prosecution, AI and software, Semiconductor technologies, Deep technology, International patent strategy
Finding engineering, and discovering IP
Paul’s interest in engineering began long before he knew intellectual property existed.
Growing up, he was always taking things apart, fixing bicycles and motorbikes and generally wanting to understand how things worked. Engineering felt like a natural choice, helped by having an engineer as a father.
It wasn’t until university that another career path emerged.
As part of his engineering degree, a patent attorney visited to explain the profession and how engineers could apply their technical knowledge in a completely different way. That presentation planted a seed.
“I did a PhD involving some IP and my supervisor was spinning out a company, so there were patents being filed. Then I worked for a semiconductor start-up that was beginning to build its own patent portfolio.”
That combination of academic research, commercial engineering and first-hand exposure to patents made the transition into intellectual property feel like the obvious next step.
Interestingly, his former employer became one of his earliest clients after he entered private practice. “It was nice seeing both sides of it. I had worked inside the company before helping them protect their technology.”
One move that changed everything
Paul began his patent attorney career in Sheffield, where he trained for three years before taking an opportunity to work in New Zealand.
Initially intended as a one-year overseas experience, the move quickly became something much bigger. “I thought I’d spend a year in New Zealand, gain some different experience and then see what happened.”
The opportunity to stay arose naturally, and one year became almost seven. During that time, Paul qualified as an Australian and New Zealand Patent Attorney under the Trans-Tasman system, building expertise in a market where international patent filing is an integral part of daily practice.
The move to Singapore was another opportunity to broaden his experience, this time within one of Asia’s leading centres for innovation and technology. Working closer to emerging industries, fast-growing companies and international clients has given him an even broader perspective on global IP strategy.
Looking back, each move has broadened both his professional experience and his understanding of how innovation develops in different parts of the world.
Although patent law across the UK, New Zealand and Singapore shares common roots, each jurisdiction applies it slightly differently. Seeing those differences first-hand has helped shape the way he approaches complex international portfolios.
“You see how each jurisdiction has implemented the law. The outcomes are often similar, but the different approaches give you a stronger background.”
Supporting innovation across Asia
Today, Paul is a Patent Attorney with Marks & Clerk Singapore, where his work centres on helping universities, start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses protect their innovations. While many of his clients are based in Singapore, his work frequently extends across Southeast Asia, reflecting Singapore’s role as a regional gateway for technology businesses.
His technical practice focuses on artificial intelligence, software, semiconductors and deep technology, sectors that continue to evolve at an extraordinary pace.
“Singapore is a bit of a hub,” he explains. “Companies from Thailand and Malaysia, and even further afield in Korea, China and Japan, often work with Singapore firms.”
English also plays an important role. Many businesses choose to draft their first patent application in English before pursuing protection in key international markets, particularly the United States and Europe. This makes Singapore an attractive base for companies with global ambitions.
For Paul, the work remains as engaging today as it was when he first entered the profession.
“I think it’s why I got into IP in the first place. You’re constantly learning about new technology and talking to inventors about the things they’re creating. You’re involved right from the start.”
Every new invention presents another opportunity to understand a different technology and help shape how it is protected commercially.
Why Singapore continues to attract innovation
Having worked in the UK, New Zealand and now Singapore, Paul has seen how different innovation ecosystems develop. While every country has its own strengths, he believes Singapore has created an environment where technology businesses can grow rapidly.
Much of that success comes from a combination of government support, universities, private investment and venture capital.
“There seems to be a lot of support for technology and innovation, from the universities through to government institutions and VC funding.”
He has also noticed how quickly Singapore embraces emerging technologies. Whether it was blockchain several years ago or artificial intelligence today, the country’s investment priorities tend to follow the leading edge of innovation.
“They really get behind new technologies. They’re trying to upskill the whole country.”
That commitment has helped establish Singapore as a significant centre for semiconductor manufacturing while also encouraging rapid growth in AI-focused businesses.
“The IP landscape evolves alongside the technology,” Paul says. “Wherever the technology is heading, the start-ups, investors and government support tend to follow.”
Thinking globally from day one
One of the biggest changes Paul has witnessed throughout his career is the increasingly international outlook of technology businesses. For many companies in Singapore and New Zealand, expansion beyond domestic markets is expected from the outset.
“The first conversation is usually about their plans. Where are they going? Which countries matter to them?”
Those answers shape the IP strategy from the very beginning. Rather than treating patents as country-specific assets, Paul works with clients to develop filing strategies that reflect manufacturing locations, future licensing opportunities and long-term commercial ambitions.
That approach has become even more important as international trading conditions continue to evolve. Recent geopolitical uncertainty and changing global trade relationships have added new layers of complexity for technology companies planning international growth.
At the same time, Paul has noticed clients increasingly seeking advice beyond patents alone. Artificial intelligence has prompted new discussions around copyright, trade marks and the protection of data.
Working alongside colleagues across the wider Marks & Clerk group, he has become involved in advising businesses on data governance and privacy issues linked to AI technologies.
Many AI businesses collect and process information from users around the world, making compliance with international privacy legislation an important consideration.
“You can’t only think about one country. If people are accessing your technology globally, you have to think globally.”
Turning innovation into valuable IP
Among the many projects Paul has worked on, two stand out for very different reasons.
The first involved an entrepreneur in New Zealand who, after suffering a serious horse-riding accident, set out to design a safer equestrian helmet.
Starting in a workshop at home, the inventor developed the product from first principles before working with manufacturers to bring it to market. Paul helped protect both the patents and the registered designs as the business grew.
“It was really rewarding to work with him over many years as he commercialised the technology.”
At the other end of the spectrum was a major semiconductor company in Singapore undertaking an extensive intellectual property audit. The project involved identifying commercially valuable innovations before developing a coordinated patent filing programme covering multiple technologies.
“It was a huge amount of teamwork,” Paul recalls. “We became deeply involved in understanding both their technology and their commercial goals.”
Although the projects differed enormously in scale, they shared something important. Both required understanding not only the technology itself, but also how intellectual property could support each client’s wider business objectives.
That combination of technical knowledge and commercial thinking continues to be one of the aspects of patent practice Paul enjoys most.
Commercial thinking makes the difference
When asked what clients value most in a patent attorney today, Paul’s answer comes without hesitation.
Commercial awareness.
It’s a lesson he learnt early in his career from one of his first mentors, and one that still shapes every conversation he has with inventors.
“My original trainer always used to ask, ‘Where’s the money coming from?'”
At first glance, it sounds like a simple question. In reality, Paul believes it changes the entire way a patent attorney approaches drafting an application.
It’s not enough to understand how an invention works. You also need to understand how the business intends to make money from it. That might influence where protection is sought, how claims are drafted or which aspects of the technology deserve the greatest emphasis.
“Understanding the technology is important, but so is understanding how you create a commercially valuable patent.”
Sometimes that means focusing on manufacturing rather than the eventual sales market. Other times it means thinking ahead to licensing opportunities or international expansion.
For Paul, intellectual property is most effective when it supports a company’s commercial objectives rather than existing in isolation.
Outside the office
Away from work, Paul enjoys activities that offer a different kind of challenge.
Rock climbing and cycling help him switch off, while Singapore’s warm climate means much of his climbing now takes place indoors or across the border in Malaysia.
Before moving to Singapore, he climbed regularly in New Zealand and the Peak District, both places that still hold special memories.
Another favourite pastime is board games. One recent favourite is Power Grid, a strategy game that rewards planning, negotiation and adapting to changing circumstances. “I think there are probably some transferable skills,” he says. “Negotiation and dealing with potential conflicts.”
His favourite hiking memories, however, belong to New Zealand. Among the many walks he recommends, the Mercer Bay Loop and the surrounding coastal trails near Muriwai and Piha stand out for their dramatic scenery.
“They’re stunning on a good day.”
Looking ahead
Looking back over a career spanning the UK, New Zealand and Singapore, Paul sees a profession that is becoming increasingly global.
Technology moves quickly, businesses often think internationally from their earliest days and intellectual property continues to evolve alongside new developments such as artificial intelligence.
Yet despite those changes, one principle has remained constant throughout his career. Never lose sight of the commercial purpose behind the technology.
For Paul, understanding innovation is only half of the job. The real value lies in helping inventors turn good ideas into commercially successful assets that support long-term growth.
It is an approach that has guided his career from his earliest days in Sheffield to advising technology businesses across Southeast Asia today.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld, a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions, on our About Us page.
Daniel March is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and consultant at Two IP. Having worked across private practice, major law firms and global brand portfolios, he brings a practical and client-focused approach to trade mark protection, helping businesses understand the value of their brands and navigate an increasingly complex intellectual property landscape.
Quick Profile
Name:Daniel March Role: Consultant and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney Firm / Organisation:Two IP Location: London, UK Areas of expertise: Trade marks, brand protection, trade mark strategy, portfolio management, client advisory work
A profession few people plan for
Daniel is the first to admit that few people grow up wanting to become a trade mark attorney.
“Most people haven’t even heard of a trade mark attorney,” he says. Like many in the profession, his route into IP was not planned from the outset. While studying law at university, he took an intellectual property module that introduced him to trade marks, patents, copyright and design rights.
The subject sparked an interest that eventually led him away from a traditional legal career path and into the world of trade marks.
What appealed most was the connection to innovation, technology and the products people encounter every day. Rather than focusing solely on legal process, Daniel was drawn to a profession that sits close to product development, branding and commercial decision-making.
Seeing brands come to life
Throughout his career, Daniel has worked with a wide variety of clients, from multinational technology companies to household consumer brands.
Among the organisations he has supported are Nokia, Huawei and Unilever. These experiences gave him a front-row seat to the evolution of technology and the importance of brand protection in highly competitive markets.
Working with mobile phone manufacturers allowed him to witness rapid innovation first-hand. Devices that were once primarily used for making calls have evolved into powerful all-in-one communication and computing platforms, creating increasingly complex trade mark considerations.
His work with Unilever provided a different perspective. Supporting brands such as Hellmann’s, Dove, Lynx, Persil, Domestos and Vaseline offered insight into the extensive work involved in bringing products to market.
One of the aspects Daniel enjoys most is seeing a project progress from an early concept to a product on supermarket shelves or featured in national advertising campaigns.
“There’s a lot of background work that goes into it,” he explains. “When you see the finished product, you know you were involved in helping it get there.”
The importance of understanding clients
A recurring theme throughout Daniel’s career has been the importance of tailoring advice to the client.
One of the most valuable lessons he learned early on was that clients are not simply looking for a list of options. They want guidance.
Rather than presenting every possible route equally, he believes the role of an attorney is to understand the client’s objectives and recommend the most appropriate course of action.
That means adapting communication styles depending on the audience. An in-house counsel may require detailed legal analysis, while a business owner may simply need a clear answer about whether a proposed brand can move forward.
Daniel believes effective advice should be straightforward and accessible.
“You don’t have to use legal language to show expertise,” he says. “The best advice is often the simplest and easiest to understand.”
A new chapter at Two IP
After many years in traditional private practice and large law firms, Daniel recently joined Two IP as a consultant.
The move represented a significant career change. Shifting from an established role to a consultancy environment brought both excitement and uncertainty.
“It’s very daunting,” he says. “The buck stops with you.”
What attracted him to Two IP was the opportunity to build stronger client relationships while enjoying greater flexibility and autonomy.
He values the supportive culture he has found within the firm and appreciates the ability to focus on client service without some of the distractions that can come with larger organisations.
For Daniel, one of the biggest attractions is the ability to focus on client service. The consultancy model allows him to build relationships in his own way, work more flexibly and spend more time on the aspects of the profession he finds most rewarding.
Brands are much more than registrations
One of Daniel’s strongest messages for businesses is that trade marks should not be viewed simply as registrations.
Instead, they should be treated as valuable commercial assets.
A trade mark helps consumers identify the products and services they trust. Over time, that recognition creates loyalty, reputation and commercial value.
“The registration itself may cost a few hundred pounds,” he explains, “but the value of the brand can be enormous.”
For that reason, he encourages businesses to think strategically about brand protection from the outset. That includes conducting proper clearance searches, understanding future growth plans and developing an enforcement strategy to protect rights once they are established.
As online commerce continues to expand globally, these considerations have become increasingly important.
Daniel has also observed how technological developments are changing the profession. While artificial intelligence and automation can speed up tasks such as searching and reporting, he believes human expertise remains essential.
“AI is a tool,” he says. “It can help you work more efficiently, but clients still need advice, judgement and experience.”
Learning from others and paying it forward
Throughout his career, Daniel has benefited from the guidance of mentors and colleagues who helped shape his approach.
One experience that left a lasting impression involved a senior barrister who helped him prepare for professional examinations. When Daniel enquired about payment for the support, the barrister declined.
Instead, he asked for one thing: help the next generation.
That lesson has stayed with Daniel throughout his career and continues to influence the way he works with trainees and junior colleagues today.
He believes professional development extends far beyond formal qualifications.
“Every day is a school day,” he says. “There is always something new to learn.”
Outside the office
Away from work, Daniel enjoys travelling, classic cars and keeping active.
Since moving into consultancy, he has found more flexibility to focus on health and wellbeing and has recently returned to running.
Travel is another passion. Having visited destinations across Europe, the United States, China and the Middle East, he enjoys exploring different cultures, architecture and histories. His next adventure is a trip to Panama.
Daniel is also a keen enthusiast of classic cars, particularly traditional British sports cars. He appreciates the character and styling of older vehicles and enjoys attending car shows whenever time allows.
More recently, he added surfing to the list of activities he has tried, taking to the waves during a trip to Morocco.
Closer to home, he recommends the countryside around Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House, as well as the South Downs near Eastbourne, where he spent time walking with family while growing up.
For those looking for a more challenging walk, Scafell Pike remains one of his favourite hiking experiences.
Looking ahead
Reflecting on a career that has spanned major brands, global clients and significant changes within the profession, Daniel remains enthusiastic about the future of trade marks.
While technology will continue to reshape how attorneys work, he believes the fundamentals remain unchanged.
Successful trade mark practice is built on understanding people, communicating clearly and helping businesses protect the brands that matter most to them.
For Daniel, the key is simple: understand the client, provide practical advice and build relationships based on trust.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Phil Sanger is the founder of Grey Wolf IP, where he advises startups and SMEs on patents with the benefit of a technical background in mechanical engineering. He talks about building a flexible, client-focused practice, helping smaller businesses make commercially sensible IP decisions, and using plain language to demystify patents.
Name: Phil Sanger Role: Founder and patent attorney Firm / organisation: Grey Wolf IP Location: Royal Leamington Spa, England Areas of expertise: Patents, startups and SMEs, mechanical engineering, software, telecoms, commercial IP advice, client strategy, patent education
From engineering to IP
Phil did not start out with a plan to become a patent attorney. He worked as an engineer for nearly four years after university, spending a year in Detroit in the automotive industry before deciding to return to the UK.
When he began looking at other options, a friend who was training as a patent attorney suggested the career might suit him. Phil was intrigued by the exams, the technical challenge and the long-term opportunity. He left engineering and took a role as a trainee at Withers & Rogers.
Building his own practice
The move into private practice eventually led to something more independent. Phil says he had reached a point where he was thinking about whether he really wanted partnership at a large firm or a different way of working.
He was drawn to SMEs, where he felt he could do the best work. A client (also a founder) encouraged him to set up on his own, and the timing felt right. He describes the decision as a mix of professional confidence and the simple belief that you only get one chance at these things.
Why smaller clients matter
Phil’s work now focuses strongly on startups and SMEs. He says every patent matters more to these clients because budgets are tighter and the commercial stakes are higher.
That means the advice has to be closely tied to business strategy. He wants to understand what the business is trying to do and how a patent application fits into that plan. In larger companies, he says, patents can sometimes be treated more like a numbers game. For smaller businesses, they are often core to the value of the business itself.
Engineering as an advantage
His engineering background still shapes the way he speaks with clients. Phil believes people often become guarded when they think they are talking to a lawyer, but technical familiarity from his experience as an engineer helps them relax.
He can talk to inventors in their own language because he has worked as an engineer in both large and small businesses. That experience, he says, helps him get closer to the business and give better advice. He is comfortable stepping beyond his strict technical comfort zone, too, as long as he can understand what the inventor is telling him.
Clear advice, not legal noise
Phil is keen on making IP accessible. He says the key is to understand the law, apply it to the facts and then explain the outcome in simple language.
He does not think attorneys should hide behind options. His preference is to explain the choices and then give a view on what he would do in the client’s position. Clients, he says, value that steer. He also sees education as part of the job, especially for people new to IP who need help understanding what the process means in practice.
Long-term client relationships
A strong client relationship, for Phil, is one where people feel able to pick up the phone without hesitation. He likes it when clients come to him early with ideas, problems and questions, not just with narrow patent instructions.
He also values being the trusted first call, whether that happens by phone, WhatsApp or voice note. Word-of-mouth referrals matter to him as a sign that the relationship is working. In his view, that is one of the best measures of success.
Changing landscape
Phil sees AI as one of the biggest shifts affecting the patent landscape, especially for startups and scaleups. He says many clients are already using AI tools to help shape early patent drafts, which raises questions about confidentiality and quality.
What interests him most is not the final output, but the conversation the client had with the AI while refining the invention. That can reveal useful detail for a quality patent draft.
Business lessons
Running his own firm has taught Phil that professional success and personal fulfilment often come from unexpected places. He says he still loves the work, but owning and running a business is a discipline in itself.
He works with a business coach, and he is still learning about strategy, hiring, marketing and finance. That ongoing learning is part of what he enjoys. He sees business ownership as a long-term skill, not a fixed destination.
Life beyond patents
Outside work, Phil spends much of his time with his two sons. He also plays squash, watches films and goes to gigs. More recently, he has started a year-long fitness programme focused on strength training and staying healthy.
He mentioned music and film with obvious enthusiasm, especially Sinners, which he found memorable for the way it mixes music, history and genre. He is also a fan of films that play with time, which connects neatly to the way he thinks about complex legal ideas.
Explaining law through film
For his pop-culture comparison, Phil chose Tenet. He sees a parallel between the film’s simple core idea and the way priority works in patent law.
Priority, he says, sounds straightforward at first. But once you start working through the practical consequences, it becomes complicated and a little mind-bending, much like how time works in the film. It is a playful but fitting way of showing how he likes to make technical subjects more relatable.
Advice for newcomers
Phil’s advice to anyone considering a move from engineering or another technical background into IP is to get some work experience first. He says the profession is rewarding, interesting and full of different career paths, but it is not engineering.
There is a lot of learning, a lot of exams and a major shift towards words and communication. Even so, he thinks the profession suits people who enjoy challenge and variety. After around 20 years in the field, he still loves it.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Ana Vesperinas is an associate and European Patent Attorney at Barker Brettell, specialising in chemistry and materials innovation. With a career spanning academia, industry, and private practice, she brings a broad scientific perspective to IP, combining technical expertise with a strong focus on client understanding and tailored advice.
Name:Ana Vesperinas Role: European Patent Attorney Organisation:Barker Brettell Location: Birmingham, UK Areas of expertise: Chemistry, functional formulations, materials, cosmetics, patent prosecution
A career shaped by exploration
Ana’s path into intellectual property was far from conventional. After completing a PhD and gaining experience across academia and industry, she only discovered IP later in her career. While working in industry, exposure to patent processes sparked her curiosity. Conversations with in house attorneys led her to explore the field further, ultimately prompting her to undertake a postgraduate course in intellectual property. That decision marked a turning point. Ana moved into an in house IP role before transitioning to private practice, where she felt she could broaden her experience and deepen her legal expertise. Today, she reflects positively on her varied journey, seeing it as a strength that shapes how she works.
A role grounded in chemistry and strategy
Now part of the chemistry team at Barker Brettell, Ana’s work focuses heavily on patent prosecution, alongside drafting and strategic advisory work. She particularly enjoys the challenge of prosecution developing arguments, understanding inventions in depth, and working towards broad and meaningful protection for her clients. Her technical expertise spans functional formulations, cosmetics, and increasingly, innovative materials. Recent work has included developments in construction materials and environmentally focused technologies, reflecting a wider industry shift towards sustainability and efficiency. Staying close to innovation is important to her. She actively keeps up with scientific developments to ensure she remains connected to the technologies behind the patents she works on.
Putting clients at the centre
A defining feature of Ana’s approach is her emphasis on understanding her clients’ needs. Her experience across different sectors allows her to relate to clients from a variety of backgrounds and tailor her advice accordingly. She believes strong relationships are built on clear communication from the outset setting expectations, explaining processes, and being transparent about challenges. Responsiveness is also key. Ana makes a conscious effort to respond quickly to client queries, recognising the urgency that often underpins IP decisions. Ultimately, she aims to make the patent process feel less daunting, ensuring clients feel informed, supported, and confident throughout.
Navigating international perspectives
A significant part of Ana’s career has involved working closely with US based clients. Many of her clients are located in the United States, requiring her to adapt strategies to fit European patent practice. This often involves managing expectations where approaches differ between jurisdictions. A strategy that succeeds in the US may not translate directly to Europe, requiring careful adjustment and clear communication. Through this experience, Ana has developed a strong understanding of both systems, enabling her to bridge the gap and deliver practical, effective advice.
Alongside her work with US clients, Ana’s UK‑based client base has grown steadily, ranging from individual inventors and universities to middle and large corporations. Ana takes a tailored approach, adapting her advice to each client’s level of intellectual property knowledge and experience. She places particular emphasis on transparency, ensuring clients have a clear understanding of anticipated next steps, expected timescales, and associated costs.
Keeping pace with innovation
Ana is particularly interested in the rise of functional materials and environmentally conscious innovation. Developments in areas such as construction materials, CO₂ reduction, and battery technologies are shaping her current work. She sees a clear trend towards sustainability, with many new inventions designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining or improving performance. For Ana, staying informed about these changes is essential not just for technical understanding, but to provide relevant and forward thinking advice to clients.
Lessons in balance and perspective
Working in IP has also influenced how Ana approaches challenges. Early in her career, she felt pressure to address everything immediately. Over time, she has learned the importance of prioritisation and organisation. Managing a dynamic workload requires flexibility. Unexpected tasks can quickly reshape a carefully planned day, making adaptability a key skill. This shift in mindset has helped her approach her work more calmly and effectively, balancing urgency with structure.
Outside the office
Away from work, Ana enjoys staying active. Tennis and padel are regular pursuits, offering a way to unwind and reset after busy days. She also has a passion for skiing, often travelling to France or Switzerland with her family. When she cannot get to the mountains, she makes use of Birmingham’s indoor ski facilities. For Ana, these activities provide an important balance, helping her recharge and maintain focus in her professional life.
Encouraging different paths into IP
Reflecting on her own journey, Ana is keen to highlight that there is no single route into the profession. Entering IP later in a career can bring valuable experience and perspective. She encourages those considering a move into IP not to feel discouraged if they did not follow a traditional path. Experience gained in other roles particularly in science or industry can be a significant asset. Her own career stands as an example of how diverse experiences can lead to a fulfilling role in IP, combining technical knowledge with a strong understanding of client needs.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld, a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions, on our About Us page.
Katie Howe is a Senior Associate and UK and European Patent Attorney at Barker Brettell in Birmingham. Specialising in physics and engineering, she works across sectors including clean energy, aerospace and advanced transport, combining technical depth with commercially grounded IP strategy.
Name:Katie Howe Role: Senior Associate, UK and European Patent Attorney Firm:Barker Brettell Location: Birmingham, UK Areas of expertise: Physics and engineering patents, clean energy technologies, aerospace, transport innovation, IP strategy and consultancy
From research to patent strategy
Katie did not set out to become a patent attorney. During her PhD at the University of Birmingham, she was developing hydrogen fuel cell technology when she first encountered the profession.
“I’d always thought patent attorneys were lawyers,” she explains. “I didn’t realise you start with scientists and then teach them the relevant law.”
That realisation shifted her direction. While she enjoyed scientific research, she could see that a long-term academic career was not quite right for her. Patent law offered a way to stay close to innovation, while applying her scientific training in a different way.
Today, as a Senior Associate at Barker Brettell, she works as a consultant to a wide range of clients. These range from individual inventors to multinational corporations and overseas attorneys seeking UK or European protection.
The skills behind the role
Katie describes the day-to-day work as detailed and analytical. Much of it involves getting to the heart of what is truly new about an invention.
“It’s about identifying what’s special and then generalising that as much as possible to secure broad protection,” she says.
She likens discussions with examiners to “scientific spot the difference”. An examiner may cite similar prior art, and her role is to analyse the distinctions carefully and explain why they matter.
Two skills underpin this work: communication and attention to detail. Communication is essential not only with examiners, but also with clients who may have very different levels of IP knowledge. Attention to detail ensures that the technical and legal arguments are robust.
Working across fast-moving engineering sectors also requires humility. “You have to accept you’re never going to be the expert in your client’s technology,” she explains. “You need a solid scientific foundation, but also a willingness to ask questions and trust the inventors as the technical experts.”
Sustainability, regulation and real-world pressures
A significant part of Katie’s practice sits within clean energy, transport and aerospace technologies. She has a particular interest in environmentally focused innovation.
“I like feeling that I’m helping move technology forward in the right direction,” she says.
Regulation plays a major role in many of these sectors. In aerospace, even small technical changes may require extensive testing and regulatory approval. To an examiner, a modification might appear minor. In practice, it may represent years of regulatory effort.
“Sometimes you have to explain that what looks like a tiny tweak actually overturns decades of established practice,” she notes.
Public policy can also shape innovation trends. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw a surge in filings around sanitation technologies. Regulation and global events can rapidly shift where companies focus their research and IP investment.
Balancing technical precision with commercial reality
One of the more nuanced aspects of Katie’s role is balancing technical correctness with commercial priorities.
She recalls a recent case where she believed an examiner’s objection was wrong. From a legal perspective, she could have pushed back strongly. However, the product in question was not commercially critical to the client.
“In the end, an ‘okay’ solution that was quicker and cheaper made more sense,” she explains.
Understanding a client’s goals is therefore central. Some inventions are flagship products, deserving significant investment in prosecution. Others may warrant a lighter approach. Relationship building enables those open conversations about cost, value and strategy.
This commercial focus also informs Barker Brettell’s broader IP consultancy work. Katie has been involved in helping businesses identify what IP they own, what remains unprotected and how their portfolio aligns with their commercial objectives.
“It always comes back to why you’re spending money,” she says. “If it’s not supporting the business goals, then something needs to change.”
Confidence, clarity and client trust
Katie believes that what differentiates a strong patent attorney from a merely competent one is not just technical skill.
“It’s about understanding what the client actually needs,” she says. “Not just doing the job well, but helping them move forward.”
Since she first started as a trainee, she has consciously worked on developing greater confidence in her communication. Rather than presenting the legal options tentatively, she focuses on presenting clear, reasoned recommendations that take into account the business context.
“Clients are paying you to be a consultant,” she reflects. “They want to know what the best option is.”
She also values positivity in communication. A small shift in language, such as saying “thank you for bearing with me” rather than “sorry for the delay”, can change the tone of a relationship and build trust.
AI, innovation and emerging risks
Looking ahead, Katie is closely watching developments in battery recycling and regeneration technologies. For her, this less visible side of sustainability is vital, given the materials involved and the environmental stakes.
Artificial intelligence is another area drawing attention, though with caution.
She sees AI as a powerful tool which has potential for saving time, but also a bad habit of “hallucinating” to fill gaps and sometimes generating outputs that are actively misleading. However, she encounters clients who treat it as an authoritative consultant.
“There’s a risk people don’t understand its limitations,” she says.
She has seen invention disclosures drafted by clients with the help of generative AI that included technical-sounding but meaningless or inappropriate content, adding unnecessary complexity to the review process and increasing costs for the client. There are also confidentiality concerns where inventors input sensitive details into open systems. Because many AI models use submitted information as training data, confidential inventions could potentially enter the public domain before a patent application is filed.
For Katie, the key is informed and careful use. Technology can support the profession, but it does not replace critical thinking.
Outside the office
Away from patent drafting and examiner correspondence, Katie is an avid reader, particularly of fantasy and science fiction.
She has also taken up the harp. Not a full-sized orchestral instrument, but a smaller lap harp that offers a different kind of focus.
“It requires a completely different mindset,” she says. “And it’s quite kind as an adult learner – it is hard to make a bad sound with a harp!”
Music and reading provide a creative counterbalance to the precision of technical legal work.
Looking forward
Reflecting on her career so far, Katie highlights the importance of confidence, curiosity and collaboration. A strong scientific grounding matters, but so does the ability to adapt to different clients and commercial contexts.
As innovation accelerates in areas such as clean energy, advanced transport and AI, she sees the patent attorney’s role as both protector and translator. Someone who can bridge technical detail, regulatory complexity and business reality.
For Katie, the value lies not just in securing rights, but in helping innovators navigate the path from idea to impact.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Matt Maitland is a UK and European patent attorney and US patent agent based just outside Boston. With experience in private practice and as in-house IP counsel at a US start-up, he brings a cross-border perspective to patent drafting, prosecution and international filing strategy.
Quick Profile
Name:Matt Maitland Role: UK & European Patent Attorney; US Patent Agent Organisation: Independent / formerly in private practice and in-house counsel Location: Greater Boston, USA Areas of expertise: Cross-border patent strategy, US and European prosecution, drafting, international filing strategy
From London to Boston
Matt began his career in private practice in London, later moving to the United States for family reasons. That move proved professionally transformative. Alongside qualifying as a US patent agent, he worked closely with both US and European practitioners, often acting as a bridge between the two systems.
Early in his career, he was fortunate to work with a UK-based technology client that filed widely across the world. Seeing the same inventions prosecuted in Europe, the US, China, Japan, India and Korea provided a powerful education.
“You learn a huge amount by watching how different offices treat the same application,” he explains. “Something that is not an issue in Europe might become a major hurdle in Japan or the US.”
That comparative experience shaped his understanding of how examiners operate, how prior art travels between jurisdictions, and how strategy in one country can affect another.
Understanding the Differences That Matter
For Matt, one of the most striking contrasts between systems lies in the treatment of added matter.
“The difference in approach between Europe and the US is enormous,” he says. In Europe, the ability to amend is tightly constrained. Understanding what support exists in the original filing is critical, and missteps can be fatal.
By contrast, US practice allows greater latitude in making amendments. That flexibility can help address unforeseen issues, but it does not remove the need for strong drafting from the outset.
He also highlights the US approach to obviousness. US examiners frequently combine multiple documents, sometimes from different technical fields, to support an obviousness rejection. To European practitioners, this can seem excessive, even perverse. Yet within the US legal framework, it is often entirely permissible.
Being dual-qualified allows Matt to explain these differences in practical terms. “Sometimes it’s just translating concepts,” he says. “A US colleague might be talking about enablement, while a European colleague might be talking about sufficiency, without them realizing that they are both talking about essentially the same issue”. The terminology differs, but the broad principles are the same.”
Getting It Right the First Time
When asked what absolutely needs to be right at filing, Matt is clear: the claims.
“In Europe, you can’t really fix poorly-drafted claims later,” he says. Moreover, because the claims typically act as a “blueprint” for the description, errors in the logic, terminology, and breadth of the claims tend to be replicated within the description. Consequently, finding support for curative amendments can be difficult — even under the more lenient approach applied in the US.
Where the independent claims have been drafted too broadly, the description and dependent claims will often lack sufficient technical detail to support amendments that would distinguish over the prior art.A good pre-filing search is therefore invaluable. If prior art can be found in an hour, an examiner will find it too. That knowledge helps calibrate the initial scope of the independent claim, and ensures that the dependent claims provide meaningful fallback positions.
Matt also advocates including multiple independent claims of differing scope, even in European filings. While not always common practice, he believes this approach introduces useful linguistic diversity. It forces the drafter to consider the invention from different angles and increases the chance of having suitable language available if clarity objections arise later.
Drafting as a Sales Pitch
One of Matt’s most distinctive analogies is that a patent application should function as a sales pitch.
“You’re persuading someone that this invention solves a real technical problem,” he explains. That approach is effective within the European problem-solution framework and, in the US, can resonate in litigation before a jury.
However, the scope of the “sales pitch” must match the scope of the claims. For example, if the claims cover vehicles in general, the description should not focus exclusively on motorcycles. Mismatches can cause claim interpretation issues in the US and essential element objections in Europe.
He also likens drafting to telling a joke. Timing matters. “You don’t want to give away the punchline too early,” he says. Revealing too much too soon can undermine both inventive step arguments in Europe and obviousness arguments in the US.
Choosing the Right Territories
In his recent in-house role at a start-up, Matt had to design an international filing strategy from scratch. That meant making hard choices about where to invest.
The starting point, he believes, is data. Market size statistics are often freely available and can quickly reveal which territories deliver meaningful commercial opportunity. In many cases, four or five jurisdictions may cover the majority of the global market.
Industry characteristics also matter. In highly regulated sectors, such as medical devices or autonomous vehicles, regulatory barriers can limit where competitors are likely to launch. In some cases, protection in a small number of key markets may provide sufficient leverage.
Filing in the wrong territory rarely causes immediate disaster. Failing to protect the right subject matter, however, can. If a core concept is not properly claimed at the outset, it may be impossible to recover later. For a start-up built around a small number of key technologies, that risk can be existential.
Budgets, Quality and the Role of AI
With increasing pressure on IP budgets, Matt warns against cutting corners on drafting.
“It’s a false economy,” he says. He would rather reduce the number of territories than compromise the quality of the application itself. Poor drafting can create problems that cannot be fixed.
He sees artificial intelligence as part of the solution. Law firms may be cautious, but economic pressure is driving adoption. Used responsibly, AI tools can help practitioners draft more efficiently, rephrase concepts, and identify potential clarity issues.
Ultimately, though, expertise remains central. “If you think an expert is expensive, try employing a layman,” he notes. The cost of fixing mistakes later (where that is even possible) can far exceed the upfront investment in getting it right.
Outside the Office
Away from patent practice, Matt prioritises fitness. Having played rugby for many years, he now focuses on weight training and running, weather permitting. Winters near Boston can be severe, with heavy snowfall disrupting school runs and outdoor plans.
He is also a keen cook and baker. He makes all the meals at home and has developed a particular enthusiasm for homemade pizza and bread. British-style wholemeal and granary loaves remain firm favourites, even if sourcing the right flour in the US requires some creativity.
Cooking, he says, provides a welcome contrast to the analytical demands of patent work. It is practical, creative and immediately rewarding.
Looking Ahead
For innovators filing their first international patent application, Matt offers two pieces of advice: choose the right adviser and invest in quality.
Interview potential counsel. Make sure they understand your technology and that you work well together. For early-stage companies, a single well-drafted application can shape the future of the business.
“Getting this right could be the difference between success and failure,” he says. “And it’s very hard to fix later.”
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Mark Sweetinburgh is a dual-qualified patent and trade mark attorney and co-founder of Sweetinburgh & Windsor. Based in Crawley, he works closely with UK businesses to provide commercially focused IP advice. His perspective reflects both long-standing technical expertise and the realities of running an independent IP firm.
Quick profile
Name:Mark Sweetinburgh Role: Partner, Patent and Trade Mark Attorney Firm:Sweetinburgh & Windsor Location: Crawley, West Sussex, UK Areas of expertise: Patents, trade marks, registered designs, freedom to operate, commercially focused IP strategy
From biochemistry to intellectual property
Mark’s route into the IP profession was shaped by curiosity rather than a fixed career plan. After studying biochemistry at the University of Bath, he knew research was not for him long term. What appealed instead was understanding how things work and applying that knowledge in a practical way.
An advert in New Scientist introduced him to the patent profession, without the language requirements he had assumed were mandatory. The role offered variety, exposure to cutting-edge technology, and a legal dimension that appealed. He entered the profession in 2001 and trained in London before deciding that commuting and city life were not where he wanted to stay.
Shaping a commercially focused approach
Mark’s early years were spent in medium-sized firms with strong client contact. Working closely with universities and SMEs helped shape a practical, commercially minded outlook that still defines his work today.
Although trained as a biochemist, his practice quickly broadened. Mechanical inventions, trade marks and infringement matters became part of his everyday work. That breadth, he feels, benefits many of the businesses he works with, particularly those looking for joined-up advice across patents, trade marks and designs alongside their wider commercial strategy.
A consistent question has guided his career: what is the point of filing a patent? Keeping that commercial focus has influenced both the advice he gives and the type of firm he wanted to build.
Founding an independent firm
The idea of running his own firm appealed early on and Mark founded
Sweetinburgh & Windsor in 2011 with Louise Windsor. With a growing team they have expanded their technical expertise whilst keeping a focus on what is important to clients and work closely with clients who value a hands-on, almost in-house style of support.
Wearing multiple hats
Day to day, Mark balances technical work with the realities of running a small business. Client work remains central, but his role also involves marketing, training, managing the team and thinking strategically about growth.
He enjoys the variety. Working with clients on grant funding, freedom to operate and IP strategy keeps the role interesting and connected to how businesses actually operate.
Training is another important strand. Mark regularly works with inventors to help them recognise patentable ideas and understand how IP fits into their wider commercial plans. He also delivers talks to students and schools, helping demystify the profession and highlight it as a career option.
How the profession has changed
One of the biggest shifts Mark has seen is the changing structure of the profession itself. When he started, most firms were London-based and relatively large. Regional and small independent firms were far less common.
That has changed significantly, particularly over the past decade. Remote working and consultancy models have opened up more choice, both for clients and for IP professionals. Mark sees this as a positive development. Businesses can now choose advisers that better match their size, sector and way of working.
The role of the patent attorney has also evolved. It is no longer about reading and writing letters in isolation. Client contact, commercial awareness and strategic thinking are now central to the job.
Leading and supporting others
Mark describes his leadership style as leading by example. Experience has shaped his approach, but the core aim has stayed the same: creating an environment where people are supported and able to shape their roles around their interests.
Flexibility is key. In a smaller firm, roles can evolve, and that adaptability benefits both staff and clients. Mark sees this as one of the strengths of independent practice.
Outside the office
Away from work, Mark values time that helps him switch off. He enjoys spending time with family, walking, reading and DIY. Fixing and building things has been a long-standing interest, one that mirrors his professional curiosity.
Sport also plays a role. He plays football weekly when he can, enjoys golf, and likes watching a wide range of sports. Switching off work phones and creating clear boundaries is important, particularly in a world of hybrid working.
Reflections and lessons learned
Looking back, one lesson stands out. Peaks and troughs are part of professional life, especially when running a firm. Learning not to panic during quiet periods, and not to struggle in silence during busy ones, has been important.
Asking for help, outsourcing when needed, and being open about workload are lessons Mark wishes he had embraced earlier. They remain relevant at every stage of a career.
Upcoming events
Mark is planning to attend CITMA in London in March and INTA in London in May. If you’re attending either event and would like to connect, he’s always happy to hear from fellow IP professionals.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Nonny Jones is a UK and European patent attorney and co-founder of Alembia Intellectual Property. With a background in chemistry and extensive experience in the pharmaceutical sector, he brings a practical, commercially aware approach shaped by years spent on the in-house side of the table.
Quick profile
Name:Nonny Jones Role: Patent Attorney, Co-owner and Co-founder Firm:Alembia Intellectual Property Location: United Kingdom Areas of expertise: Chemistry, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, patent drafting and prosecution, portfolio strategy, due diligence, licensing and litigation support
From chemistry to patent law
Nonny’s route into patent law was far from pre-planned. He trained as an organic chemist, completing a PhD and spending several years in academia before achieving a long-held ambition: becoming a medicinal chemist hunting new drugs. It was during this time, working within a large pharmaceutical company, that he first encountered patents at close quarters.
Rather than sparking immediate fascination, those early encounters were tinged with apprehension. Patents, he recalls, were both critical and intimidating. They underpinned everything the wider business was doing, yet felt complex and high-stakes. Over time however, that exposure, combined with conversations with friends who had moved into patent law, planted a seed.
A major turning point came when the research site where Nonny worked unfortunately closed. While challenging, redundancy opened up an unexpected opportunity: an trainee patent attorney role within the same organisation. The move proved formative.
Training inside a company meant going in at the deep end, with huge responsibility from day one. While initially intimidating, being embedded in project teams, addressing intertwined scientific, legal and commercial issues, and seeing how IP decisions played out across the full lifecycle of a product provided a unique, commercially-focussed grounding that has informed Nonny’s approach to patent work ever since.
“It was a privileged position,” he reflects. “As an in-house patent attorney, you experience everything, from early research through to commercial strategy. You see first-hand the impact of IP-related decisions and events on development, which teaches how to spot and mitigate issues early.”
Shaping a career through challenge and risk
As his career progressed, Nonny found himself repeatedly stepping into situations that felt uncomfortable at the time, but ultimately shaped how he works today. One such moment was taking on responsibility for coordinating complex litigation on a major pharmaceutical product while still relatively junior.
The experience was demanding, but rewarding. It required judgement, confidence and the ability to make decisions with imperfect information, often under extreme time pressure – all key patent attorney skills which were developed and tested in courts across Europe.
That willingness to take calculated risks eventually led to Nonny leaving industry for private practice and co-founding Alembia Intellectual Property with his business partner, Lucy. What began as a daunting idea soon felt like a logical next step.
“It wasn’t about trying to disrupt the profession,” he says. “It was more about asking whether we could build something successful that reflected how we liked to work.”
Eight years later, Alembia Intellectual Property is still growing, shaped by those early decisions and a shared set of values. The practice has even been externally recognised: “one unexpected milestone we’re very proud of is being listed since 2020 in the IAM patent 1000 alongside many other great UK and European patent firms – a huge achievement for a small boutique like ours, and particularly pleasing because it’s based on direct client feedback”.
A varied role with a familiar focus
Today, Nonny’s role combines client work with running a small business. While company management and business development are part of the picture, he spends most of his time doing what he enjoys most: working closely with clients on a wide range of IP issues.
The work spans patent drafting, strategic advice, due diligence, licensing and agreement work as well as occasional litigation support. Moving from an in-house role to private practice has increased the variety of subject matter Nonny handles, and it now extends not only across life sciences but into engineering and materials technology. It has also brought exposure to client companies of different sizes, at different stages, with very different priorities.
What hasn’t changed is the mindset. Nonny remains focused on understanding what clients are trying to achieve and tailoring IP advice accordingly, rather than treating patents as an end in themselves. In this respect, his industrial background provides a particular advantage: “having worked on in- and out-licensing for one of the world’s largest pharma companies, Lucy and I know first-hand what investors are looking for in an IP portfolio. It’s great to be able to apply that knowledge to help current clients secure funding and reach their own goals.”
Chemistry at the centre
Chemistry continues to underpin much of Nonny’s practice. He sees it as a central discipline, connecting physics on one side and biology on the other, which makes it possible for chemically-trained patent attorneys to work across multiple fields.
His background as a medicinal chemist also makes it easier to move seamlessly between small molecule chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical development inventions, a significant advantage when assisting modern clients who often use multi-modal approaches to drug discovery.
Making “pseudo in-house” practical
Alembia often describes its approach as “pseudo in-house”, a term Nonny is keen to ground in reality rather than rhetoric. For him, it comes down to accessibility.
Small and growing companies often hesitate to speak to lawyers early, particularly when budgets are tight. That hesitation can lead to avoidable problems later. Alembia’s aim is to lower that barrier by encouraging informal conversations and focusing billing on substantive work, rather than ringing up the till for every interaction.
The goal is not to replicate an in-house attorney exactly, but to create a proactive, informal environment where clients feel able to ask questions early and often.
“I’d rather spend ten minutes on the phone helping someone think something through before it becomes an issue than hours to try and fix a problem after the fact,” Nonny explains.
Balancing detail with commercial reality
For Nonny, good patent advice starts with outcomes. While technical detail and legal nuance are essential, they only matter if they serve a client’s broader goals.
He is conscious of the temptation to over-focus on the intricacies of patent law, particularly when speaking to non-specialists. Instead, he prioritises clarity, helping clients understand how IP can help clients achieve their goals, and only getting into the technical weeds when it is important to show why a particular strategy makes sense.
Navigating change in the IP landscape
Asked about recent changes in the profession, Nonny points to artificial intelligence as both an opportunity and a challenge.
Used carefully, AI can be a powerful tool for summarising information and checking thinking. Used uncritically, it carries real risks.
Machine-learning hallucinations, confidentiality concerns and over-reliance are all issues he believes the profession must manage carefully. While optimistic about AI’s long-term potential, he emphasises the continued need for judgement, diligence and accountability.
“AI users don’t just need answers,” he says. “They need confidence in those answers.”
For now, Nonny sees AI as a potentially transformative resource to be handled carefully, not delegated to blindly.
Values that guide the work
Across a varied career, one value has remained central for Nonny: taking pride in his work.
Patents are often stressful for clients, high-stakes by nature, and slow to deliver results. Helping clients navigate that process, make informed decisions, and move forward with confidence is where he finds the most satisfaction. Whether the task is large or small, the aim is always the same: to make something difficult feel more manageable, and enable clients to focus on the day-to-day business of getting their innovations to market.
Advice for those considering IP
For scientists thinking about patent law, Nonny offers an honest assessment. The career can be intellectually stimulating and rewarding, combining science, law and commercial thinking in a way few roles do.
At the same time, it carries pressure and responsibility. Deadlines are tight, decisions matter, and the work demands care.
His advice is to speak to people in the profession, seek exposure where possible, and understand what the role really involves before committing.
“It’s not for everyone,” he says. “But for the right person, it can be incredibly satisfying.”
Life beyond IP
Outside work, Nonny’s life centres on family. With a young son (and cat!) and the demands of running a business, switching off is less about hobbies and more about spending quality time together.
He also retains a strong connection to Anglesey, where he grew up. A coastal walk from Bull Bay to Porth Wen remains a favourite, offering rugged scenery, wildlife and a sense of perspective when he gets the chance to return.
Looking forward
Reflecting on his career so far, Nonny takes pride in key career milestones that include high pressure licensing deals, litigation wins and the formation of Alembia IP, but also his everyday work. While the big ticket results often get the most attention, he still finds few things as satisfying as successfully arguing against a complex patent office objection, or informing a client of a patent grant.
For him, success lies in steady progress, thoughtful, accessible advice and long-term relationships built on trust.
Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.
Mark Jolly is a partner and patent and design attorney at Wilson Gunn, based in Manchester. With a practice spanning patents, registered designs and enforcement work, he brings a practical, people-focused approach to advising clients across automotive, medical devices and fast-moving consumer goods.
Quick profile
Name:Mark Jolly Role: Partner, Patent and Design Attorney Firm:Wilson Gunn Location: Manchester, UK Areas of expertise: Patents, registered designs, IP enforcement, strategic IP advice
Finding a route into IP
Mark’s path into intellectual property was more deliberate than many. At school, he chose a degree that combined science with patent law, allowing him to pursue both a technical subject he enjoyed and an early interest in legal work. A sandwich year spent with a firm of patent attorneys during his studies confirmed that the profession was the right fit.
That early exposure meant Mark entered the profession with clarity about what he wanted to do. He spent around a decade at a London firm before making the move to Manchester and joining Wilson Gunn, where he has now been for over ten years.
A role shaped by people and opportunity
Today, Mark’s role as a partner combines advisory work, supervision and strategic thinking. While he is still closely involved in client matters, much of his time is spent discussing approach, reviewing work prepared by colleagues, and helping shape broader portfolio strategies.
He reflects that this is a natural shift many patent attorneys experience over time. Early career work after qualification can be solitary and document-heavy, while senior roles tend to involve far more conversation, collaboration and judgement. For Mark, that evolution has been a positive one.
Building a design-focused practice
A notable feature of Mark’s work is the volume of registered design and enforcement matters he handles. He traces this specialism back largely to chance and curiosity. Early in his career, he took an interest in design law at a time when European registered designs were brand new, and that willingness to “put his hand up” led to more work in the area.
Design work, he explains, offers a different rhythm to patents. It can be more visual, more immediate, and often allows for quicker initial views. That contrast, along with the creative thinking involved in defining what really matters in a design and working out how to protect that across the quite disparate systems of international design protection, is something he continues to enjoy.
Enforcement followed a similar path. At Wilson Gunn, there is a greater appetite for handling contentious work in-house, at least in its early stages. Over time, this has built confidence and experience, making enforcement a more routine and less intimidating part of his practice.
Working with clients who value IP
Mark works with clients across automotive, medical devices and fast-moving consumer goods, each bringing different rewards. Automotive work reflects a lifelong personal interest, while FMCG clients offer the satisfaction of working on products that are tangible, familiar and visible in the market.
He particularly values working with businesses where intellectual property is central to commercial success. In those cases, IP is not an afterthought but an integral part of product development, with advisers playing a role in shaping innovation as well as protecting it.
Across all sectors, Mark emphasises the importance of relationships. Enjoyment of the work often comes down to the people involved, both clients and colleagues, and he considers himself fortunate to work with teams that collaborate well and share common goals.
Rigour first, then commercial reality
When advising clients, Mark does not see legal and commercial considerations as competing forces. In his view, understanding the legal position is a necessary first step. Only once that groundwork is done can realistic commercial options be explored.
This approach is particularly important in enforcement matters, where time, cost and outcomes rarely align perfectly with principle. Helping clients develop realistic expectations is, he says, a key part of the advisor’s role.
A changing enforcement landscape
One of the biggest challenges Mark sees today is the shift of enforcement activity away from courts and towards online platforms. Takedown procedures on large e-commerce sites can be fast and effective, but also inconsistent, with the likes of Amazon sometimes acting on design rights that are clearly invalid.
This creates uncertainty for both rights holders and legitimate businesses who are accused of infringement. Mark has been closely involved in discussions and official consultations around these issues, drawing on his day-to-day experience to inform proposed solutions and contributing to CIPA’s submissions.
Life beyond IP
Outside work, Mark keeps busy. He spends much of his time with his young children, fitting his own interests around their activities. He enjoys backgammon, squash, cricket and skiing. And, finds that being active—particularly in the mountains—is one of the best ways to switch off.
Advice shaped by experience
For those considering a career in IP, Mark’s message is simple. It is a rewarding profession with room to shape a career around individual strengths. He encourages people to get involved, ask questions, and volunteer for work that interests them.
Just as importantly, he notes that enjoyment of the profession often depends on environment. A difficult experience in one role does not mean the career itself is wrong. Finding the right people to work with can make all the difference.
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