Robert has experience in dealing with patents across the chemical field, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food chemistry, biofuels, tribology and lubrication, and energy storage.
He has spent over two years on a part-time secondment to a FTSE 100 spin-out company specialising in sustainable packaging. Robert’s secondment involves regularly engaging with, and providing advice to, key stakeholders across the business, from R&D engineers to senior executive decision-makers. Through his secondment experience, Robert is very familiar with the requirements and expectations of in-house counsel.
Robert has conducted several opposition proceedings at the EPO (both offensive and defensive) in the chemical field. He also has particular experience in preparing freedom-to-operate and due diligence analysis relating to fine chemicals.
In addition to his patent work, Robert also specialises in the registration and enforcement of designs.
He holds a first-class master's degree in Chemistry from Oxford University where he researched the synthesis of fluorescent organic probes for the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.
Prior to joining EIP, Robert briefly worked at the John Innes Centre as a biological chemist, working on extraction and manipulation of natural products.
Recent work
- Due diligence and freedom-to-operate analyses of small-molecule, peptide, and multi-component vector therapeutics
- Defensive oppositions relating to food compositions and their medical uses
- Invention harvesting and formulation of drafting and prosecution strategies as in-house secondee
- Offensive oppositions relating to RNA syntheses and lubrication systems
- Drafting and prosecuting patent applications relating to diagnostic devices, lubrication systems, and small-molecule and biologic therapeutics
Published articles
- 24 December 2016
JIPLP, Threats to infringe a patent application: no barrier to justification (link) - April 2016
JIPLP, To Infinium and beyond! Questions regarding partial priority referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal (link) - 20 October 2015
JIPLP, How low can you go? The scope of a numerical range is reconsidered by the Court of Appeal (link) - 8 March 2015
JIPLP, There is a balm in Gilead: Idenix's patent infringed but invalid (link) - 16 February 2015
WTR Daily, Registered design for ice cream van held to be valid and infringed (link) - 23 January 2015
JIPLP, Rage against the (translation) machine (link)
Education
- Certificate in Intellectual Property Litigation, 2021
-
2015 — 2016
Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary University of London -
2010 — 2014
MSc Chemistry, University of Oxford
Career history
- 2020 — present
Senior Associate, EIP - 2014 — 2019
Associate, EIP
Awards and recognition
- Recommended patent attorney, Legal 500 2025 (link)
- Ranked as "Rising Star", IP Stars 2024 (link)
- Ranked as "Rising Star", IP Stars 2023 (link)
- Ranked as "Rising Star", IP Stars 2022 (link)
- Ranked as "Rising Star", IP Stars 2021 (link)
- Legal 500, 2022. (link)
- Ranked as "Rising Star", IP Stars 2020
Specialisms
Digital
- Additive manufacturing
- Gaming and graphics
- Medical imaging
- Semiconductors
Dynamics
- Additive manufacturing
Elements
- Cosmetics & fragrances
- Electrochemistry
- Food & flavour ingredients
- Petrochemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
- Semiconductors
Energy
- Cells
- Solar
HealthTech
- Additive manufacturing
- Medical devices
- Medical imaging
- Surgical tools and implants
Life
- Agritech
- Pharmaceuticals