Laurence has more than 14 years’ experience in intellectual property, focussing on obtaining commercially valuable patent rights for his clients. A European Patent Attorney and a UK Chartered Patent Attorney, his practice covers a range of fields across engineering, including telecoms, electronics, computer systems and networking, medical devices and general engineering.
Laurence has extensive experience of building and maintaining focussed, relevant patent portfolios for clients ranging from S&P 500 companies through to SMEs and individuals. This includes freedom-to-operate searching, identifying patentable inventions, advising on the prospects of obtaining useful patent protection, as well as drafting and prosecuting applications in the UK, Europe, US and worldwide.
On the contentious side, Laurence has advised and represented clients in post-grant enforcement against competitors and defended granted patents against invalidity actions. This includes opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office as well as post-grant revocation proceedings and declaration of non-infringement at the UK IPO.
Before training as a patent attorney, Laurence worked in the electricity industry.
Experience
- MeadWestVaco Corp v Montreuil Offset O/053/09 Represented the patentee in post-grant revocation proceedings for DVD/Blu-ray packaging before the UKIPO. The patent was maintained with minor amendments. (link)
- Unwired Planet – Worldwide prosecution counsel identifying and obtaining commercially relevant patent rights in the field of telecommunications.
- Sonos, Inc. – European prosecution counsel for patents relating to consumer electronics, audio and networking.
- Renesas Corporation – Drafting and worldwide prosecution of patents in the field of telecommunications (including developments proposed for standardisation by 3GPP).
- Cordis Corporation (Johnson & Johnson). European prosecution counsel for patents relating to stents and catheters, including defending oppositions from competitors.
- Morphy Richards – UK and European patent drafting and prosecution, including successful enforcement of UK patent for hair straighteners.
- Genesis Microchip (since acquired by STMicroelectronics) – European prosecution counsel for patents relating to video processing, LCD drive electronics and DisplayPort.
- Sony Corporation – European counsel for patents relating to consumer electronics and digital media.
Recent work
- Drafted and prosecuted a UK patent application enabling around 80% of an SME’s revenue to fall within the UK Patent Box. With an accelerated process grant was obtained in less than a year.
- Reviewing patent portfolios to identify possible standards essential patents.
- Advising a UK SME on building a worldwide IP portfolio of relevance both to their own products and potential competitors. This included analysis of competitor activities and their IP position, drafting and prosecuting patents worldwide.
Education and qualifications
Laurence has a first class degree in Engineering (Electrical and Information Sciences) from Cambridge University. This covered the fundamentals of Electrical, Electronic, Software, Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Laurence later specialised in Electronic, Electrical and computer systems engineering.
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2002
Certificate in Intellectual Property, Queen Mary, University of London -
2000 — 2001
Master of Engineering (Electrical & Information Sciences), Cambridge University -
1997 — 2000
MA (Electrical & Information Sciences) (1st Class), Cambridge University
Career history
- 2014 — present
Partner, EIP - 2012 — 2014
Senior Associate, EIP - 2003 — 2012
Patent Attorney, Urquhart-Dykes & Lord - 2001 — 2003
Technical Assistant, J. A. Kemp - 1996 — 2001
Year in Industry placement and Sponsored Student, National Grid Company plc
Awards and recognition
- Gill Prize - Highest mark in the 2004 UK patent qualifying exams.
Speaking engagements
- 28 September 2015
3M BIC Seminar, IP RAW – Basics of Intellectual Property and its value to your company. - 20 November 2013
EIP Seminar, The Patent Box: How businesses can benefit (link)