Paula has a broad range of experience, covering a wide variety of technical fields, including medical devices, automotive engineering, hydraulic systems, manufacturing, fluid dynamics, technology, printing, energy generation and consumer products, and she deals with clients in all of these areas.
Paula has worked on secondment for a number of our clients, which has given her the opportunity to appreciate commercial demands and constraints, and consider patent and design issues first-hand from an alternative perspective.
She frequently represents one of our key clients in opposition proceedings at the European Patent Office, a number of which have progressed to appeal.
In addition, Paula has done patent and registered design work for a prominent NHS supplier, which led to those intellectual property rights being enforced. She has also prosecuted patent applications for universities and university spin-outs.
Paula joined EIP from a position as a Patent and Trademark Attorney in a major law firm, prior to which she spent six years working for the largest IP practice in the UK. Having spent time living and working in Germany, Paula is also a fluent German speaker.
Recent work
- EPO Opposition work focused on medical devices and printer cartridges
- Providing non-infringement and validity opinions related to inhalation devices
Published articles
- March 2021
World Trademark Review, Fight fire with fire: Cormeton Fire Protection turns to IPEC in co-branding dispute (link) - November 2012
Professional Engineering, Could your tax liability be reduced by expanding your patent portfolio? - May 2011
IP Counselor, Anheuser-Busch v Budvar: Global dispute turns on local significance
Education
-
1998 — 1999
Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London -
1996 — 1997
MSc Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey -
1993 — 1996
BEng Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast
Career history
- 2006 — present
Partner, EIP - 2003 — 2005
Patent and Trademark Attorney, Olswang - 1997 — 2003
Patent and Trademark Attorney, Marks & Clerk
Awards and recognition
- Recommended in Who's Who Legal, IP - Trademark Agents & Attorneys (link)
- WIPR Leaders 2024: Recognised individual (link)
- Ranked as 'Trade Mark Star 2024' IP Stars (link)
- Ranked as 'Patent Star 2024' IP Stars (link)
- WTR 1000: the World's Leading Trademark Professionals 2024 (link)
- WIPR Leader 2023, Patent Leaders, United Kingdom (link)
- Ranked as a 'Trade Mark and Patent Star', IP Stars 2023
- Recommended in Who's Who Legal: IP - Trademark Agents & Attorneys 2022. (link)
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2022 (link)
- WIPR Leaders 2022, Trademark Leader, United Kingdom (link)
- WIPR Leaders 2022, Patent Leader, United Kingdom (link)
- WTR 1000, 2022, Ranked 'Silver' in Individuals: prosecution and strategy. (link)
- Recommended in Who's Who Legal: IP 2021. (link)
- Ranked as 'Recommended' in Trademark prosecution in UK, Leaders League 2021 (link)
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2021 (link)
- WTR 1000, 2021, Ranked in Individuals: prosecution and strategy. (link)
- WTR 1000, 2020, Ranked in Individuals: prosecution and strategy. Paula "applies her expertise on a global scale, with excellent results."
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2020 (link)
- Legal 500, 2020 (link)
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2019 (link)
- WTR 1000 - The World's Leading Trademark Professionals, 2019. "Paula is one of the best trademark practitioners around and gives consistently valuable and practical advice on search and clearance, prosecution and enforcement matters. She is also great value for money."
- Legal 500, 2018: Paula Flutter is a "key figure".
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2018
- WTR Trademark 1000, 2018. "Paula is incredibly knowledgeable and she thinks of everything. She is always available, delivers information quickly -almost instantly- is incredibly reliable and thorough and frames her advice in language that is easy to understand. She shows creativity and pragmatism and thinks positively about how clients can achieve their goals". (link)
- Legal 500, 2017. Paula is "‘approachable, professional and quick with responses’."
- Ranked as a "Patent Star" and "Trademark Star", IP Stars 2017
- Legal 500, 2016
- WTR 1000 - The World's Leading Trademark Professionals, 2016. Paula "approaches every project with a positive attitude, and she works constructively, channelling her knowledge and experience to find the right solutions.” (link)
- Ranked in IP Stars 2016
- Who's Who Legal: Trademarks 2016, 2015
Languages spoken
- German (Fluent)
Speaking engagements
- 10 May 2019
TechGC, 5th Annual Fullstack GC Conference - 25 April 2019
CIPA USA Roadshows 2019: Intellectual Property Beyond Brexit, Trademark and Design aspects of Brexit and hot topics (link) - 11 April 2019
TechGC, San Francisco Private Dinner + CLE - 6 December 2018
Fieldfisher, Exploring the implications of Brexit on your business from a technology perspective - 5 December 2018
Managing IP, European Patent Forum USA 2018 - 12 March 2015
EIP Seminar, Effective Innovation Planning - 2 July 2011
London Business School seminar, Managing IP from start-up to exit
Specialisms
Digital
- Medical imaging
Dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Mechanics
HealthTech
- Medical devices
- Medical imaging
- Surgical tools and implants