Passionate about
your intellectual
property.

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• MA Physics
• MSc Semiconductors

Email: paul.higgin@patents.co.uk

Paul leads the Hi-tech team. His clients include international blue-chip organisations, fledgling and spin-out companies and universities.

Although Intellectual Property issues are often dauntingly complex, particularly in the area of high technology, Paul’s wealth of experience enables him to cut through the complex minefield of Intellectual Property issues and present clear business choices to his clients.

Paul read natural sciences at Cambridge University majoring in Experimental and Theoretical Physics and then took a post-graduate degree in Semiconductor Science and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College, London.

Paul has over 15 years' experience in the Patent profession. During this time he has worked as a Patent Attorney drafting hundreds of Patent applications and Patent oppositions and also as Senior IPR Counsel at Nokia, where he was heavily involved in Patent licensing and litigation.

Paul finds that clients value the high quality, prompt delivery and competitive prices provided by his team and also Paul’s commercial real-life experience and strategic insights. He has a very strong focus on pro-actively providing creative, relevant and understandable Intellectual Property services.

Paul has particular technical expertise in: telecommunications, electronics and microelectronics, semiconductors, software and computer systems, nanotechnology and medical devices.

Paul lives in Belper, Derbyshire, with his wife and young family.

“One of my favourite inventions is the integrated circuit, which enables millions of electronic components to be integrated into a small piece of silicon. This invention not only enabled the technological revolution but has legal interest because there was a Patent dispute over who invented it - Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments or Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.”

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• Trade Mark Attorney
• MA Physics

Email: michael.skinner@patents.co.uk

Michael entered the profession in 1981 with a Physics degree from Oxford and undertook his professional training with one of the leading London firms. He qualified in the mid-80s and then decided to widen his horizons by moving to the Midlands at a time when many professions believed there was no life outside London. He joined Swindell & Pearson in 1986 and became a Partner in 1991.

Since joining Swindell & Pearson Ltd, Michael has represented clients in Patent, Trade Mark and Design matters, these clients ranging from private individuals to large corporations. He has worked with a wide range of technologies, including sports accessories, agricultural equipment, retail and wholesale packaging, foundation systems for buildings, electrical, electronic and computer systems and software.

Outside his business life, Michael has been a Scout leader for over 20 years. He is a keen sailor, is active in various different sports and has travelled the world supporting the British athletics team. He remains convinced that somewhere there must be a sport which could grant him British representative honours, if only he could find it.

“It is difficult to choose a favourite invention from all of this - perhaps my favourite case is always my most recent successful one."

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• Trade Mark Attorney
• BSc Exploration Science

Email: robert.sales@patents.co.uk

Robert joined the firm in 1985. A graduate in Exploration Science from the University of Nottingham, he became a partner in 1993. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, a Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and a European Patent Attorney and Trade Mark Attorney.

Robert has considerable experience in assisting clients across a broad range of mechanical and chemical fields. In particular he has spent many years advising the pottery and ceramics industries in relation to all areas of Intellectual Property. He has primary responsibility for the firm’s Stoke-on-Trent office.

Outside work Robert enjoys playing and watching football, including managing Swindell & Pearson Ltd Strollers FC, a very moderate five-a-side team. He also enjoys the outdoor life, and particularly any opportunity to ascend or descend mountains, whether on foot or on skis.

“I enjoy a range of different inventions, and I never fail to be impressed by the jet engine and how it can lift me and others off the ground and transport us rapidly around the world. The ability of satellite navigation to follow me even into the smallest street in Stoke-on-Trent is also I believe a fine achievement”.

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons), EPA, CPA, MITMA, ETMA
• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• UK Trade Mark Attorney (by examination)
• European Trade Mark Attorney
• BSc Biochemistry (1st Class Hons)

Email: nick.womsley@patents.co.uk

Nick began his career in Intellectual Property in 1989 joining the firm with a first class degree in Biochemistry from the University of Sheffield. He was awarded the 1995 prize for Patent drafting by the Charted Institute of Patent Agents. After achieving full qualification in both Patent and Trade Marks as separate disciplines, Nick spent a couple of years as an in-house Attorney in the Intellectual Property Department for the international biosciences company Zeneca (now AstraZeneca).

Nick re-joined the firm as a Partner at the beginning of 1999. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, a Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, a European Patent Attorney and a European Trade Mark Attorney. He is also a member of INTA, PTMG, ECTA and Marques and has lectured to students of the profession on formal qualification courses.

Nick has over 20 years of experience in assisting his clients in often complex and intricate intellectual property matters. His work is on a truly International scale involving the preparation, acquisition and enforcement of his clients’ IP rights around the globe. Nick has always held the belief that it is invaluable to develop a deep understanding of a client’s business so that his advice can be as tailored, relevant and valuable as possible. With such sound philosophy Nick has worked with the majority of his clients for many years, in disciplines as diverse as pharmaceuticals, composites, materials science, FMCG's, ceramics, confectionery and service industries. Nick enjoys his time outside of the office with his wife and two sons.

Qualifications

• Post Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Litigation
• Trade Mark Attorney
• BA (Hons) Medieval & Modern History

Email: kieron.taylor@patents.co.uk

Kieron graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1999 with BA (Hons) Medieval & Modern History. He started as a Trainee Trade Mark Attorney in October 1999 and qualified in 2003. Kieron joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd, in February 2007 as an Associate and was promoted in January 2009.

Kieron’s interests include 17th Century English history, baroque music and Georgian furniture.

He is about to complete LLM (Post Graduate Degree) in Intellectual Property Litigation and has completed the Post Graduate Certificate (PGCERT) in Intellectual Property Litigation. LLM and PGCERT combined will allow him to apply for a Litigators Certificate which when granted will give him rights of Audience in the High Court, County Court and Patents County Court of England and Wales in relation to Trade Mark, Designs and passing off cases. Kieron is a Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and a European Trade Mark Attorney.

Kieron undertakes a wide variety of contentious and non contentious Trade Mark and domain name work.

“My favourite Trade Mark registration is UK Trade Mark Registration number 2330428 in the name of Gnomes and Garden Limited and is for the mark GNOMEO AND JULIET registered for inter alia “garden gnomes” in Class 21.

I saw it in the Trade Marks Journal in November 2003 and whilst I don’t have any connection with the registrant, GNOMEO AND JULIET has stuck with me as an example of interesting and clever Trade Mark”.

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• BSc Physics

Email: lee.thould@patents.co.uk

Lee joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in 2002 after graduating with a BSc in Physics at the University of Warwick. Lee is a Chartered Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney and specialises in the drafting and prosecuting of Patent applications in the fields of: physics, electronics, software and telecommunications. Lee is experienced in managing Patent families for a wide range of clients including multi-national corporations, universities, small to medium sized enterprises (SME’s) and individuals.

In his spare time, Lee enjoys playing the guitar and the mandolin, taking long walks in the countryside and listening to a wide variety of music.

"One of my favourite inventions is the CAT (computer aided tomography) scanner (Patent No. GB 1,283,915 & US 3,778,614). The CAT scanner is an excellent medical diagnostic tool and has saved countless lives. Additionally, it was so advanced when it was invented that computer technology at the time was not capable of putting the idea into practice!"

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• UK Registered Patent Attorney
• MSci Physics
• BA Physics

Email: christine.hawkrigg@patents.co.uk

Christine graduated from Cambridge University in 2003 after obtaining an MSci in Physics and joined Swindell and Pearson the same year. She was promoted to IP director in 2011.

Christine has substantial experience of preparing patent applications suitable for worldwide prosecution and of managing patent portfolios for multi-national corporations. As part of the hi-tech team her specialist areas of technology include telecommunications and computer implemented inventions particularly user interface technology and inventions relating to business methods.

Outside work, Christine is a member of City of Derby swimming club. She has competed at national and international masters competitions and broken British records as part of a relay team.

“A Patent which I find interesting is US6028990 which relates to a flux capacitor, although there is no mention of whether or not this particular flux capacitor makes time travel possible”.

Qualifications

• European Patent Attorney
• Chartered Patent Attorney
• MSci (Hons) Physics with a year in Europe

Email: scott.harrison@patents.co.uk

Scott joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in 2003 after obtaining a first class master’s degree in Physics from Imperial College London. He was promoted to IP Director in 2011.

Scott’s client base includes SMEs and multinational corporations. His practice encompasses a number of fields of technology, including: software, electronics, optics, telecommunications and mechanical devices.

Scott is committed to providing clear, understandable advice to his clients to enable them to achieve their commercial goals. He specializes in optimizing his clients’ patent protection and helping his clients to break into new markets.

Scott is responsible for ensuring that the firm is kept abreast of changes in foreign patent law (for example, in the US, Japan, China and Korea). This makes him well placed to advise foreign attorneys on the nuances of European and UK patent law in a manner that they readily understand, helping them to optimize their clients’ patent protection in Europe and the UK.

Outside work, Scott enjoys playing sport and travelling. At weekends he can often be found at Molineux Stadium, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Scott has a good knowledge of Spanish, having spent a year studying physics at La Universidad de Cantabria in Spain.

“One of my favourite inventions is the contact lens. It looks like such a simple object, yet it has taken a huge amount of research to produce a contact lens that can be worn for days or even weeks at a time without discomfort”.

Qualifications

• Chartered Patent Attorney
• European Patent Attorney
• MSci(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics

Email: martin.terry@patents.co.uk

Martin joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in February 2010 having trained and professionally qualified with a leading London firm of Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys after completing his degree in Physics with Astrophysics at the University of Bristol. Martin has experience in dealing with inventions in a wide range of technologies (including telecommunications and software related inventions) from a wide range of clients such as individuals, university spin out companies and multinational corporations.

Outside of work Martin enjoys: travel, cricket and pottery.

“A patent of significance to me personally (and my family) is George Carwardine’s “Improvements in Elastic Equipoising Mechanisms”, GB489,547 dating back to the 1930’s. George’s invention related to an extremely versatile positioning mechanism which, using a system of springs, could move in 3 planes and was so well balanced that it would remain static in any chosen position. George made use of his elastic equipoising mechanism in the manufacture of lamps and used elastic springs made by my great greatgrandfather Herbert Terry. In 1934 Herbert’s company, Herbert Terry & Sons, acquired a license to the patent in order to manufacture the lamps themselves. The “Equipoise” lamps have been developed over the years and today go by the somewhat better known name of Anglepoise Lamps."

Qualifications

• Chartered Patent Attorney
• European Patent Attorney
• MSci(Hons) Electronic Engineering
• BEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering

Email: charles.huang@patents.co.uk

Charles joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in August 2010 after having trained with a leading London firm of Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys. With a broad and solid background in Electronic Engineering, Charles deals with inventions in a wide range of technologies, including electronics, software, networking and telecommunications.

Charles deals with large Patent families for multinational corporations, covering jurisdictions such as Europe, the US, China, Japan and Korea. As a native Chinese speaker, Charles is also responsible for liaising with clients in the Far East.

Outside work, Charles enjoys sport particularly jogging, badminton and basketball. He also finds singing and listening to light music enjoyable.

“Among the many inventions that have revolutionized the world, the Internet is my favourite. The internet has made transmission of information so efficient that an enormous amount of information is always accessible, almost regardless of where and when you want to retrieve it.”

Qualifications

• BA Law (Hons)

Email: katy.fuggle@patents.co.uk

Katy graduated from Leicester University with a degree in law. She worked at Freeth Cartwright LLP Solicitors in Nottingham and Derby between 1999 and 2008 and completed her training there, qualifying as a Solicitor in 2003 (currently non-practising).

Katy joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in July 2008 and is currently training to become a qualified Trade Mark Attorney. Katy has substantial experience of Trade Mark matters, including conducting Trade Mark clearance searches, filing Trade Mark applications, dealing with Trade Mark oppositions, invalidations and revocations and negotiating co-existence agreements.

Outside of work Katy enjoys salsa dancing, swimming and cycling.

“A Trade Mark which I find particularly interesting is the Coca-Cola bottle. The Coca-Cola Company owns a large number of word and logo marks for its drink products, but also has a registered Trade Mark for the three dimensional shape of the iconic Coca-Cola bottle. The purpose of a Trade Mark is to distinguish through use of a sign the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings. The Coca-Cola bottle satisfies this requirement, as the shape of the bottle alone is widely recognised as belonging to The Coca-Cola Company”.

Qualifications

• PhD Astronomy
• MSci Physics and Astronomy

Email: ian.whiley@patents.co.uk

Ian joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in 2008 and is currently training to become a qualified UK and European Patent attorney.

Prior to joining the company Ian graduated from the University of Nottingham with an MSci degree in Physics and Astronomy before obtaining a PhD in Astronomy from the same University.

Outside of work Ian enjoys watching and playing most sports and has been learning to play the guitar for approximately 4 years. He particularly enjoys playing anything by his favourite band the Foo Fighters. Ian loves animals and has two pet rats.

“A Patent I find interesting is US1781541 which is for a refrigeration system. It is not the subject of the Patent that I find particularly interesting, rather the inventor. This refrigeration system was patented by Albert Einstein”.

Qualifications

• PhD Materials Analysis
• BSc (Hons) Engineering Physics

Email: richard.ellis@patents.co.uk

Richard joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in September 2008 after spending six years designing and developing meteorological instrumentation for Campbell Scientific which included a present weather sensor patented through Swindell & Pearson.

Richard has an NVQ4 in Management, a degree in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Materials Analysis from Sheffield Hallam University.

Richard is currently training to become a qualified UK and European Patent Attorney.

When not at work Richard enjoys reading, days out with the family and playing football.

“I like people with imagination but the following Patent Application seems to suggest some people have just too much imagination for their own good. Patent Application No. CA 2 572 538 describes perpetual motors which can apparently be used to make a starship propulsion system and laser guns for shooting at inter-continental nuclear missiles and I quote: “These Perpetual Motors are Environment Friendly (They run with Magnetism) … will give us the clean air that all the People and Governments of the World are after … will Excel the Industrial World and make a Super Race, and a better World to live in.” The starship can be powered using the perpetual motors which serve a warp drive core and is controlled from, and I quote again: “the Bridge Deck of the Star Ship of the U.S. Delorian ... The Star Ship will look somewhat like the Star Ship Enterprise on the TV Series of Star Trek.” Well, as Scotty from the aforementioned TV show said “Ye cannae change the laws of physics”.”

Qualifications

• MChem Chemistry

Email: hiren.gandhi@patents.co.uk

Hiren joined Swindell & Pearson Ltd in September 2011 after spending three years working for another firm of European Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys in Sheffield. Hiren’s core technical background lies in chemistry and life sciences having completed a Masters in chemistry at the University of Leeds.

Prior to working at his previous firm, Hiren worked in the editorial department for a leading science publishing house in London. Hiren has experience in dealing with patent related matters in a wide range of technology areas including alloys, coatings and inorganic and organic compositions, as well as in the fields of mining, mechanical engineering, medical devices and household consumer goods. Hiren has acted for a diverse range of clients including public sector bodies, multi-national corporations, SMEs and start-up companies.

Hiren is also experienced in handling contentious and non-contentious trade mark issues with a successful record in handling trade mark oppositions as well as negotiating Co-existence Agreements and out of court settlements.

Outside of work Hiren spends most of his time playing football and still harbours hopes of becoming a professional football player.

Qualifications

• PhD Electronic and Electrical Engineering
• MSci Physics and Chemistry

Email: oliver.pooley@patents.co.uk

Oliver joined Swindell and Pearson in January 2011 as a member of the Hi-tech Team. He is currently training to become a qualified UK and European Patent Attorney.

Prior to joining the company, Oliver completed a PhD in electronic and electrical engineering at Manchester University, working with a major private research firm to develop semiconductor devices for a wide range of systems including millimetre wave imaging systems, high accuracy magnetic field sensing and nanostructure systems for quantum computing. Oliver also maintains an interest in chemistry from his MSci in Physics and Chemistry from Durham University.

Outside work, Oliver enjoys watching and playing a wide range of sports. He also enjoys reading and walking, especially in the nearby Peak District.

“I find the field effect transistor fascinating. It is a building block for CMOS circuitry which is found in every single electronic component. It started the digital revolution, which revolutionised the way we live in little over 15 years.”

Qualifications

• PhD Organic Chemistry
• BSc Biological Chemistry

Email: simon.foster@patents.co.uk

Simon joined Swindell and Pearson in May 2011 and he is currently training to become a qualified UK and European Patent Attorney.

Before joining the company Simon gained a BSc in Biological Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Leicester. He then completed a postdoctoral position at the University of Nottingham during which time he investigated chemical methods for capturing protein-protein interactions. Simon then worked as a material scientist in the rubber industry and more recently as a synthetic organic chemist in the pharmaceutical industry.

Outside work, Simon enjoys long distance running and brewing real ale.