Professional Qualifications:
European Patent Attorney
Chartered Patent Attorney
IP Litigator (Patents)
Academic Qualifications:
M.A. Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge
Certificate of Post-Graduate Study in Chemistry, University of Cambridge
Julian joined Abel + Imray in 2018 and is based in the Bath office, although he is always happy to visit the London office for client and other meetings. Julian is also the current President of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI).
Having practised as a patent attorney for over 30 years, Julian has assisted clients involved in a wide range of technologies. The core of his practice lies in chemistry and life sciences, in which he has particular experience in protecting and advising on inventions relating to small organic molecules and their polymorphic forms, pharmaceuticals, therapeutic methods, drug delivery devices and dosage forms, immunotherapy, genomics, diagnostic tools and techniques and computer-implemented and machine-learning diagnostic methods. Julian also acts for clients whose IP work requires a good understanding of physics or electro-mechanics, including variable focal power lenses for augmented reality and advanced engineering applications.
Julian advises and assists clients with the management of their intellectual property and is often called on for due diligence opinions, novelty searches, infringement, validity and freedom to operate opinions and for IP support in licensing deals and other commercial transactions.
EPO oppositions and appeals are an area where Julian has significant experience, and he has frequently been called on to represent patent proprietors and opponents at oral proceedings before the EPO’s Opposition Divisions and Boards of Appeal.
Recently, Julian took a leading role in one of the first oral hearings before the Boards of Appeal by videoconference.
Julian is passionate about the importance to small and medium size businesses of protecting their IP and the significant value which can added by independent IP practitioners. He served as Secretary General of FICPI for nine years from 2006-2015. FICPI is the world’s leading international organization for IP attorneys in private practice. Julian is currently its President and a number of attorneys within the firm are also members. As President, Julian is involved in regular bilateral meetings with major patent offices and other organisations around the world (EPO, EUIPO, the European Commission, USPTO, JPO, KIPO, CNIPA, WIPO) to present the views and needs of the profession and its clients.
