Michael Conway
Birketts, U.K

Michael Conway is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney with extensive experience of managing global trade mark portfolios and advising clients from SMEs to multinationals on brand clearance, protection and strategy. He has particular expertise in handling contentious proceedings before the UKIPO, and on appeal to the Appointed Person, where he advocates orally for clients, and has a strong track record of running successful appeals from the UKIPO into the High Court.

He also has a substantial designs practice and regularly advises clients on registered and unregistered design matters. He is experienced in devising strategies to clear 2D and 3D designs for use, as well as in developing effective protection strategies, whether for consumer products, technical products or graphical user interfaces.

Emily Dodgson is a chartered UK and European patent attorney and a partner at Abel + Imray. She is a trusted advisor to established SME’s, ambitious tech start-ups and large multinationals, helping them to protect their ideas and bring their innovative products to market by drafting and prosecuting patent applications, advising on patent strategy, defending and asserting granted patents and advising on freedom-to-operate (infringement) risks. Emily entered the patent profession in 2011, qualified in 2015 and became a partner in 2021.

Emily has a technical background in mechanical engineering, with a MEng and PhD from the University of Bath in that subject. Prior to entering the patent profession, she worked as an engineer for a respected engineering consultancy. Her patent work is focused on the protection of engineering inventions across a wide range of technical fields including aerospace, medical devices, oil & gas, consumer electronics and defence.

C. Gregory Gramenopoulos, an attorney-at law and partner in Finnegan's Washington, D.C. office, has more than two decades of experience in intellectual property law. 

He advises emerging and high-technology companies in the software, computer, and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning sectors. An accomplished patent litigator and strategic IP advisor, he handles complex, high-stakes patent matters both in and outside of the courtroom.

Rob Katz has benefited firm clients in the areas of utility patents and industrial designs. He has drafted and prosecuted to issuance numerous and significant utility patents in the U.S. and in foreign countries. These clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as many individual inventors and small companies who rely on strong patent protection in their marketplaces. 

The patents have been directed primarily to mechanical and electromechanical devices, and to software and computer-related inventions. Many patents drafted and prosecuted by Rob have been successfully enforced with some having served as the cornerstone for the successful sale of companies.

Dr. MaryAnne Armstrong
Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch, U.S.

MaryAnne Armstrong has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry, with a master’s degree in immunology, both from Cornell University. Dr. Armstrong worked as a post-doctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, National Cancer Institute, NIH. 

She has practiced in the intellectual property field since 1995, working with both large and small companies and universities, for the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the fields of immunology, pharmaceutical chemistry, biotechnology, vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, organic chemistry, assay and drug screening systems, medical devices and plant patents.

Chris Cottingham has a Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Cambridge. In accordance with the breadth and depth of technical knowledge gained then, and subsequently, he has drafted and prosecuted patent applications relating to sensors, control systems, construction, flow control, medical devices, packaging, safety equipment, energy technologies and computer software including graphical user interfaces, signal processing and image processing.

Chris has also advised investors and companies in relation to due diligence for purchase (and sale) of IP portfolios.

In addition, Chris advises in relation to registered design rights, which can often form a particularly significant pillar in an IP protection strategy to protect the visual aspects of a product or service offering. He sits on the CIPA Design and Copyright committee, as well as on the FICPI working group relating to designs.

Anna King is an intellectual property attorney with a comprehensive practice spanning all aspects of IP law. She advises clients on IP strategy, protection, and enforcement, including prosecution before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and U.S. Copyright Office, as well as licensing and portfolio development and management. 

Anna also represents clients in federal district court litigation and administrative proceedings, including oppositions and cancellations. Her work supports businesses of all sizes in developing, maintaining, defending, and enforcing their intellectual property rights in the U.S. and internationally.

Serge Shahinian is a partner, patent agent and Co-Leader of Lavery’s intellectual property group, based in Montreal, Canada. He is a registered Canadian patent agent and has been practicing in the intellectual property field since 2000, following prior doctoral and post-doctoral training in biochemistry, biology, and genetics.

Serge's practice includes the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical, covering a wide range of related technologies in the health, agricultural, food, environmental and industrial sciences. He works with a full range of clients including universities and public research institutions, small and medium sized companies, and large multinational corporations, helping them develop and execute intellectual property strategies oriented towards their business goals. His practice includes the procurement of patent rights in domestic and foreign jurisdictions, as well as opinions and counselling in patentability, validity and infringement matters. He also works closely with our litigation group providing support on patent matters. He further has experience in due diligence in the context of transactions and financing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.