Tim Belcher

Tim is a UK and European patent attorney with experience in dealing with patents across the chemical field, with a particular focus on pharmaceuticals and biochemistry. He has spent over 2 years on a part-time secondment to the in-house department of one of the largest multinational pharmaceutical companies and is consequently well versed in clients’ commercial considerations and the requirements of in-house counsel. Tim also works closely with start-ups in the pharmaceutical space, where he is able to offer this in-house perspective to smaller enterprises, and to provide guidance on how to optimise IP practices in order to attract investment and maximise exit value. Tim has also worked on cases relating to agrichemicals, food products and ingredients, polymers, industrial processes, materials, medical devices and mechanical inventions.

Tim has significant experience in drafting patent applications and prosecuting them at EPO, JPO and USPTO. Tim also often provides advice to clients on freedom to operate and in due diligence matters. He also typically files several oppositions each year and regularly appears before the EPO at oral hearings (both as patentee and opponent). During qualification as a patent attorney, Tim was awarded the Gill prize for the highest mark in the UK patent attorney qualifying examinations 2012, and the Drafting prize for the highest mark in the UK drafting finals paper. He also achieved amongst the highest marks in the opposition and law papers for the European qualifying examination and regularly provides tutorials to trainees in the profession.

Tim graduated with a first class masters degree in Chemistry from the University of Oxford. During his degree, he spent a year researching quantum cascade laser spectroscopy and the potential to use highly tuneable QCLs to achieve selective excitation in organic syntheses.