Laurence has more than 17 years’ experience in intellectual property; obtaining commercially valuable patent rights, enforcing and defending patent rights after grant. A European Patent Attorney and a UK Chartered Patent Attorney (qualifying with the highest mark in his year), his practice covers a range of fields across engineering including electronics, computer systems and networking, medical devices, and general engineering.
Laurence has extensive experience of building and maintaining focussed, relevant patent portfolios for clients ranging from FTSE 100 and S&P 500 companies through to SMEs and individuals. This includes freedom-to-operate searching, identifying patentable inventions, advising on the prospects of obtaining useful patent protection, as well as drafting and prosecuting applications in the UK, Europe, US and worldwide.
On the contentious side, Laurence has advised and represented clients in post-grant enforcement against competitors and defended granted patents against invalidity actions. This includes opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office, post-grant revocation proceedings and declaration of non-infringement at the UK IPO, proceedings before the UK Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC), and proceedings before the UK High Court.
Before training as a patent attorney, Laurence worked in the electricity industry.
Experience
- Technetix v Teleste. Provided litigation support for the defendant, Teleste, against patent infringement proceedings brought by Technetix before IPEC. The patent related to cable TV network equipment and was held to be invalid on four counts. The case also raised the prospect of a Formstein defence to infringement by equivalents under English Law. (link)
- MeadWestVaco Corp v Montreuil Offset O/053/09 Represented the patentee in post-grant revocation proceedings for DVD/Blu-ray packaging before the UKIPO. The patent was maintained with minor amendments. (link)
- Unwired Planet – Worldwide prosecution counsel identifying and obtaining commercially relevant patent rights in the field of telecommunications.
- Sonos, Inc. – European prosecution counsel for patents relating to consumer electronics, audio and networking.
- Renesas Corporation – Drafting and worldwide prosecution of patents in the field of telecommunications (including developments proposed for standardisation by 3GPP).
- Cordis Corporation (Johnson & Johnson). European prosecution counsel for patents relating to stents and catheters, including defending oppositions from competitors.
- Morphy Richards – UK and European patent drafting and prosecution, including successful enforcement of UK patent for hair straighteners.
- Genesis Microchip (since acquired by STMicroelectronics) – European prosecution counsel for patents relating to video processing, LCD drive electronics and DisplayPort.
- Sony Corporation – European counsel for patents relating to consumer electronics and digital media.
Recent work
- Drafted and prosecuted a UK patent application enabling around 80% of an SME’s revenue to fall within the UK Patent Box. With an accelerated process grant was obtained in less than a year.
- Reviewing patent portfolios to identify possible standards essential patents.
- Advising a UK SME on building a worldwide IP portfolio of relevance both to their own products and potential competitors. This included analysis of competitor activities and their IP position, drafting and prosecuting patents worldwide.
Specialities
- Consumer electronics
- Communications
- Engineering
- Medical devices
Education and qualifications
Laurence has a first class degree in Engineering (Electrical and Information Sciences) from Cambridge University. This covered the fundamentals of Electrical, Electronic, Software, Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Laurence later specialised in Electronic, Electrical and computer systems engineering.
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2002
Certificate in Intellectual Property, Queen Mary, University of London -
2000 — 2001
Master of Engineering (Electrical & Information Sciences), Cambridge University -
1997 — 2000
MA (Electrical & Information Sciences) (1st Class), Cambridge University
Career history
- 2014 — present
Partner, EIP - 2012 — 2014
Senior Associate, EIP - 2003 — 2012
Patent Attorney, Urquhart-Dykes & Lord - 2001 — 2003
Technical Assistant, J. A. Kemp - 1996 — 2001
Year in Industry placement and Sponsored Student, National Grid Company plc
Awards and recognition
- Legal 500, 2020 (link)
- IAM Patent 1000, 2019. "Laurence Brown qualified as a UK patent attorney with the highest mark in his year, which should provide some measure of the level of his engineering knowledge." (link)
- Legal 500, 2018: Recommended Patent Attorney
- IAM Patent 1000, 2018. “Brown quickly gains the respect of right holders’ most senior management. He has amazing communication skills and knows how to deal with inexperienced inventors who have little to no IP knowledge.”
- Legal 500, 2017: Laurence is "responsive and diligent".
- Legal 500, 2016
- Gill Prize - Highest mark in the 2004 UK patent qualifying exams.
Speaking engagements
- 11 October 2017
Leeds Business Week 2017, How IP can add value to your business (link) - 19 October 2016
Leeds Business Week 2016, 20 IP Mistakes to avoid - 28 September 2015
3M BIC Seminar, IP RAW – Basics of Intellectual Property and its value to your company. - 20 November 2013
EIP Seminar, The Patent Box: How businesses can benefit (link)