Materials

With backgrounds in Materials Science, Chemistry and Engineering, our Attorney team brings together experience from both industry-leading companies and academic research at leading universities. Our expertise and experience in these fields means that not only do we understand the technology, but also that we develop inventive and commercially driven IP strategies for our clients.

We have a wide and deep range of experience in the fields of electrode materials, metallurgy, additive manufacturing, fibre-reinforced resin composites, superconductors, ceramics, semiconductors, OLEDs, fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and biocompatible polymers and other biomaterials for drug delivery and medical devices.

Our team is experienced not only with the EPO opposition and appeal procedure, but also equally equipped to manage high volume portfolios efficiently and effectively, advising on and adopting strategies that streamline workloads and ensure cost effectiveness. Whether it be pre-grant or post-grant, our team provides advice in targeted ways that enables our clients to secure the right strategic outcomes.

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Services

What do we do?

Patents

If you've had an idea and want to turn it into a commercial asset by patenting it, our team of UK and European patent attorneys are here to help you, whatever the technology. Patents provide protection for technical innovation in products, processes, materials and machinery. They can also protect software-related developments. Investment in research, development and marketing should all be protected and patents can prove particularly useful for this purpose. Although they are commonly referred to as an intangible asset, patents can generate revenue streams for their owners and can be sold or mortgaged much like any tangible asset. For instance, protecting new concepts via patent may prevent competitors from entering a particular technical space, thereby potentially giving the patent owner an edge over its competitors.

At WP Thompson, we know the value of securing a patent and how important they are as business assets. This is why our advice to clients always takes into consideration the potential financial value of your invention and underpins our approach to the scope of protection our clients require.

Licensing patents you own for use by third parties is another method to generate revenue streams which some clients employ. This is known as out-licensing. However, innovators can also turn the IP of others into commercial products by licensing third-party patents - known as in-licensing. Additionally, patent owners should consider enforcement of existing patent rights as a potential revenue stream.

Your patent portfolio - even those which are yet to reach a commercial stage - is valuable and as such, you should take steps to police it to protect your assets from possible infringement. Our skilled and experienced Patent Attorneys can offer all the help and advice you need to keep the value of your ideas safe. Our team of Attorneys offer our clients a comprehensive range of patent services across all technical disciplines, including chemistry, chemical engineering, electronics, software, fintech, AI, mechanical engineering, medicinal chemistry, medical devices, physics, pharma and biotech.

In addition to the drafting, filing and prosecuting of patent applications, we offer advice and assistance in the strategic assessment of patent portfolios, due diligence investigations, and the provision of patent audits. Our attorneys have broad experience in litigation and contentious issues involving questions of validity, infringement and ownership in particular. We also provide input in relation to commercial negotiations, particularly those involving licences and assignments. Whatever your sector or invention, we have a dedicated team who can provide help, advice and expertise to safeguard your ideas and ensure you can exploit their commercial value to the fullest.

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IP Strategy

The nature, geographical extent and timing of IP protection varies depending on the nature of a client's business, budget and commercial priorities.

We understand that not all clients are the same and we form a close relationship with you in order to understand your technical and business needs before providing strategic advice on the form and extent of IP protection to pursue.

We maintain a longstanding involvement in our client's IP from inception, to completion of protection and conduct regular reviews to ensure that no gaps exist.

Our strategic advice also extends to enforcement and licensing strategies to ensure that clients maximise the leverage and return sought from investments and resulting IP.

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IP Commercialisation

Our Team will help you identify and monetise your IP through sale and licensing.

Our Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys can value your patents, brands and designs, and provide commercially driven advice on their sale to third parties. We are also skilled in preparing the relevant documentation and ensuring that the transfer goes smoothly.

If you wish to retain the rights to your brand and create revenue streams through licensing, then our Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys can advise on the form your licence agreements should take, bearing in mind the manner in which the third parties should use your brand and the royalties due to you.

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Julian Potter

Partner

Materials

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