Christopher is a Chartered and European Patent Attorney with over 20 years’ experience in handling all types of IP matters across a wide range of technologies and sectors, and has been managing his own IP practice since January 2015.
Christopher has a Diplôme D’Ingénieur in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne in France, and a Master’s Degree in Advanced Materials from Cranfield University where he also worked as part of a research group developing powder metallurgy based materials. Christopher is also an accredited civil and commercial mediator.
Christopher spent several years at Honda R&D where he worked on specific projects looking at the use of lightweight materials, as well as on the development teams for new vehicle launches. He started his career in the IP profession with Withers and Rogers, one of the leading Patent and Trade Mark firms, before leaving to take up a position in-house with ICI where he ultimately became Head of IP. At ICI, Christopher was a member of Legal, R&D and Marketing leadership teams giving him valuable insights into what senior management expects from IP, and was involved in numerous IP disputes across the globe, as well as being the IP lead in a £1BN divestment of one of ICI’s coatings businesses.
Christopher has helped numerous clients both in the UK and overseas, from individuals seeking to protect their innovation, universities, start-ups, SMEs, through to multi-nationals with large IP portfolios. He advises on all types of IP and related aspects, with typical activities being the drafting and prosecution of patent applications, advising on infringement and validity issues, putting IP procedures in place to help generate and capture innovation, and auditing IP portfolios to ensure business alignment and value. Christopher has also prepared IP strategies appropriate to the business need, for example in preparation for investor pitches, and gives guidance on establishing safeguards to protect trade secrets and other confidential information when collaborating with external parties.
Christopher’s experiences leave him well placed to understand what clients require from their IP, and enable him to give clear and practical advice to ensure IP risks and opportunities are managed correctly, and most importantly, aligned with business objectives.
Away from the office, Christopher likes to spend time with his family, and is currently enjoying renovating a 400-year-old farmhouse. Whatever time is left over is spent playing squash, and whatever money is left over is spent on skiing!