Secerna LLP has welcomed a new trainee patent attorney, Jay Ruaux, to its team in York.

Secerna welcomes undergraduates for IP careers taster day

Whilst a UK patent application can typically take around four years to be granted, there are various approaches to accelerating the prosecution of a patent application, in order to seek a faster grant.

Intellectual property law firm Secerna has marked a year of continued growth with recognition in a global legal directory that places the firm in the top 20% of IP law firms in the UK.

International Women in Engineering Day 2022 is looking at engineering heroes and the future, focusing on inventors and innovators who will change things for the better. For Senior Associate Laura Ward there is one woman who encapsulates this perfectly, Professor Sarah Gilbert.

Academic tech transfer relates to the transfer of discoveries from universities (or other public research institutes) into the commercial sector.

Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee marks 70 years since The Queen’s accession to the Throne – the first time any British monarch has reached this historic milestone.

Secerna Partner, Charlotte Watkins and Senior Associate Huw Jenkins will be attending the BIO International Convention in San Diego.

It has been a year since Secerna launched its European office in Ireland. Headed up by patent director Dermot Roche, the Dublin office offers a greater international presence and supports the firm’s continued growth.

On Tuesday, 26 April, the intellectual property (IP) community will celebrate youth-led innovation and creativity during World Intellectual Property Day 2022.

In this article, patent attorney Jonathan Roberts puts the spotlight on quantum computing and considers the opportunities for protecting innovations in this field from an intellectual property perspective.

We are pleased to announce our sponsorship of Biovale Pitchfest on the 9th June 2022 at the Principal Hotel in York.

In our latest profile, we talk to Part Qualified Patent Attorney, George McCanney about why he chose a career in Intellectual Property following his PhD and what advice he would give to anyone looking to enter the industry.

There are numerous strategic and financial factors that require careful consideration in advance of the commencement of the Unitary Patent system and the UPC. Now is the perfect time for businesses to review their options and plan accordingly.

The EU is establishing a new patent court known as the Unified Patent Court (UPC). In this article we look at how the UPC will operate.

The EU will shortly be introducing a refinement of the current European patent system. Here we discuss the specific aspects of the new Unitary Patent.

On Wednesday 16th February, Secerna Partner, Charlotte Watkins, will be discussing a range of Intellectual Property considerations that start-ups and entrepreneurs should take into account.

Recently, the AI system DABUS has challenged the conventional profile of an inventor. We take a look at the response of a variety of jurisdictions around the world to the possibility of AI inventors.

Patent Director, Dermot Roche, will be participating on the KTI panel on 11 January 2022 discussing patenting trends across Europe

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit confirms a decision of the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board highlighting the benefits of maintaining a strong IP portfolio, particularly in the context of small and medium sized biotech companies.

Our part qualified patent attorney Daniel Pingstone takes a look at how intellectual property helps businesses compete in the cycling industry.

Salt rash, sharks and thousands of oar strokes are not part of day-to-day life at intellectual property firm Secerna. In 2022, they will be an everyday reality for the rowing team, “Seas the Day”, who Secerna is sponsoring as they take on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

We are excited to announce that partner Jason Boakes and newly qualified patent attorney Jonathan Roberts will be attending the NEPIC Digitalisation & Cyber Security Conference on 2nd December 2021.

The EPO approach to raising objections to methods of treatment claims does not apply to medical products or apparatus. A recent Board of Appeal decision T 944/15 has extended this exclusion to computer program claims.

The latest decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G1/21 opens up the possibility of in-person oral proceedings at the EPO again in appeal cases, and possibly in examination and opposition also.

Intellectual property specialist Secerna LLP has welcomed a new trainee patent attorney to its team in York, bolstering the firm’s biotech expertise.

What drew Trainee Patent Attorney John Harbottle to a career in IP and how does he spend his time away from work? Find out more in our latest profile.

Partner Charlotte Watkins and Senior Associate Huw Jenkins will be holding an intellectual property workshop for bio-based companies and entrepreneurs with BioVale on 17th November 2021.

The UK government have revealed new plans to unlock the power of gene editing as part of the government response to the gene editing consultation, assisting farmers in producing more resilient and nutritious crops.

Dermot Roche will be attending the IPBC Europe: Leadership Summit in Dublin on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th October 2021.

We look at the details of some of the technologies behind 5G, how these 5G innovations may be protected with patents, and why FRAND licensing of standard essential patents is such an exciting space.

Following on from our previous article on the Audit Plus Scheme run by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), the UK IPO have recently launched a new IP support scheme which aims to assist SMEs in protecting and commercialising their IP assets.

We review a recent Decision of the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal regarding double patenting (G4/19) and consider some of the issues still to be resolved following this decision.

Secerna recently opened the doors of its York head office to a group of undergraduates for

The EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal appears set clarify whether post-published data can be used to proof a technical effect that has not been made “plausible” in an application as filed.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) is offering grants to innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to subsidise the cost of an IP audit through the IP Audits Plus Scheme. For eligible businesses, the UK IPO will contribute £2,500 towards the final cost of £3,000 (including VAT).

We view the latest Decision, J0001/20, of the EPO’s Legal Board of Appeal regarding re-establishment of rights and its implications for patent applicants.

EU reports on IP and innovation reveal areas where action is required.

Intellectual Property attorney during the week and a football coach at the weekend. We talk to Secerna Patent Director, Dermot Roche and discuss joining Secerna, how he decided on a career in patent law and more.

The UK Supreme Court judgement relates to the unusual use of the unlawful means tort in a patent case.

Fast-growing intellectual property law firm Secerna is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a listing in an esteemed global legal directory.

The UK Patent Box scheme enables companies to pay a reduced rate of Corporation Tax on profits derived from exploiting patented inventions. From 1 July 2021, updated rules will apply to all claims under the scheme

In this article for International Women in Engineering day, Senior Associate Laura Ward explores who inspired her to undertake an engineering undergraduate and postgraduate degree.

We're celebrating turning ten.

The European Patent Office (EPO) is the leading patent authority in Europe, and the patent filing statistics in the latest annual report from the EPO highlight some fascinating trends.

Secerna will be taking part in Leeds University's Summer Careers Festival - Yorkshire Careers Day.

Exploring Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and FRAND licences in Europe with note of interesting cross-jurisdiction issues such as anti-suit injunctions and the pending referral to the ECJ.

We are pleased to announce that Dermot Roche will be speaking about SEPs and FRAND licensing at the IP Law Summit on Wednesday 12th May 2021.

Intellectual property law firm Secerna LLP is preparing for the next phase of growth, opening a Dublin office headed by former Accenture in-house counsel Dermot Roche.

The European General Court has passed a judgement in regards to the LEGO Registered Community Design. Read more on the judgement here.

How best do we manage the intellectual property associated with COVID technologies and how do we ensure this does not stand in the way off vaccine production and access? Our latest article looks at these issues.

We review the Enlarged Board’s recent G 1/19 decision regarding computer-implemented simulations and consider the consequences for Applicants

We are pleased to welcome new trainee patent attorney, Robin Milward to the team, bolstering our robotics, physics and electronics expertise

What led our Part Qualified attorney Daniel Pingstone to a career in Intellectual Property and why did he choose to work at Secerna? Find out the answers to these and other questions in these, and other questions, in his profile.

In our latest article, Senior Associate Huw Jenkins looks at how Brexit has led to significant changes to the filing strategy for registering plant variety types.

We examine the recently released examination guidelines for 2021 issued by the European Patent Office. We look at what they mean for patent applications moving forward.

In the final instalment of articles on quantum technologies, Jonathan Roberts looks at some of the key pointers that should be kept in mind for patent specifications relating to these technologies.

In the second part of a series of articles looking at quantum technology, Jonathan Roberts looks at the research taking part by the EPSRC-funded National Quantum Technologies Programme into data security in the future.

In the first in a series of articles looking at quantum technology, Jonathan Roberts explores the rise in quantum technology

Secerna LLP has been appointed by Sheffield-based global technology group Xeros Technology to support the company’s in-house intellectual property team. More on this exciting partnership here.

The executive team are essential to the smooth running of Secerna. We talked to Clare Burnard from the team to find out more about her and her role.

What does a typical day hold for one of our Part Qualified Attorneys? We talk to Thomas Kennelly and find out.

The transition period of the UK exiting the EU ends in December. With Brexit looming, one of our Partners, Jason Boakes, looks at the current situation and what it means for IP in our latest article.

Home to Newcastle United, birthplace of Robert Stephenson and of course the city where Secerna has one of its offices, Newcastle is a cultured, cosmopolitan and, most importantly, a canny place to live and work. But what makes the area so great? We look at just some of the reasons to love life in Newcastle.

The Enlarged Court of Appeal is currently considering a number of issues surrounding double patenting. Secerna Senior Associate Huw Jenkins looks at what they will be looking at.

A recent decision by the US Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) has highlighted the benefits of a strong intellectual property portfolio, particularly in relation to smaller biotech companies.

As life returns to normal, scientists and academics continue in their quest to find a solution to COVID-19. In our latest article Senior Associate Hazel Robson looks at the role that IP has to play in this race to find a vaccine.

Liza Wilson tells us why she enjoys the variety that life as a Formalities Manager at Secerna brings.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal today heard proceedings relating to computer implemented inventions. For Secerna, Jason Boakes and Sam Henshall-West attended the livestream of proceedings and share their initial thoughts.

Senior associate Laura Ward tells us what attracted her to a role at Secerna and why life as a patent attorney is never dull.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal have recently ruled that plants or animals obtained exclusively by “essentially biological processes” are no longer patentable at the EPO.

Safe and accurate testing on a mass scale is essential for breaking the chain of infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. This final article in our series examines diagnostic testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its characterisation.

In the third article of our COVID-19 series, we look at the protection of IP as manufacturers innovate and develop new products at speed in the fight against coronavirus.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) had already begun to redraw the landscape of medical science. In the second of our articles relating to COVID-19, we look at innovation in the COVID-19 crisis focusing on this use of AI.

With the world gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are seeing innovation of unprecedented levels. In the first of our series of articles on the subject, we explore the work taking place looking for a vaccine.

The Court of Appeal confirms Genentech is to lose patent rights to its blockbuster eye drug over their agent's incorrect payment of fees

The Unified Patent Court faces another setback following the recent decision from the German Federal Constitutional Court.

We may be biased, but Yorkshire is an amazing place to live and work. Check out our latest blog and explore what working for Secerna can do for your career.

2019 saw the UK Supreme Court provide clarification on the meaning of outstanding benefit derived from patents for employee inventions.

Do you know how design rights can protect your intellectual property and the process to obtaining them? Our latest blog explains the option available to you.

Intellectual property rights are extremely valuable assets for any business. But what is the process of applying for a patent? In our latest blog we breakdown what to expect when you make an application.

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Jason Boakes is a founding partner of Secerna LLP. With offices in York and Newcastle, the firm helps UK-based and global companies defend, enforce and protect their intellectual assets.

We face a number of serious global challenges in the coming decades. How do we sustainably feed our population? How will we meet our energy needs? How do we change our reliance on scarce natural resources?

We are pleased to announce that Huw Jenkins will be attending the IFIB 2019 International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy in Naples on 3 and 4 October 2019

In terms of David and Goliath stories (or should that be Arya and Night King stories?) they don’t come much bigger than two recent patent application objections from television behemoth HBO (Home Box Office) against two UK companies it believed to be unfairly benefiting from its Game of Thrones brand.

In our latest blog Technical Assistant Daniel Pingstone takes a look at drawing inspiration from the entertainment world and what it can mean for your patents.

The Guidelines for Examination at the European Patent Office have recently been revised in relation to mathematical methods (EPO GL 2018, G-II, sections 3.3 to 3.3.2).

We are pleased to announce that Charlotte Watkins and Huw Jenkins will be attending the BioFocus Conference in Newcastle on Wednesday 10 July.

We are pleased to announce that Huw Jenkins will be attending the Early Adoption of Agri-Tech Innovation workshop in Sheffield on Tuesday 25 June 2019.

We are pleased to announce that Jason Boakes will be attending the AIPPI Congress held in London.

Charlotte Watkins is one of the founders of York-based intellectual property law firm, Secerna. She lives on the outskirts of York with her partner and co-founder, Jason, and their dog, Holly.

Digitalisation of the Energy Sector - Wednesday 5 June 2019, Teesside University, Darlington

The patentability of plants has been a long running legal and political saga at the EPO.  Following an intervention this month by the president of the EPO, it appears uncertainty in this area is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Patent attorney Huw Jenkins tells us why he made the move from a career in academia to patent law and what makes the role so worthwhile.

We are pleased to announce that Sam Bloor will be speaking at the Future of Energy Systems Masterclass which is being held at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in Blyth.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal has been asked to consider when a European patent application claiming priority from a patent application that has been granted can be refused because it claims the same subject-matter as the granted patent.

Find out from trainee patent attorney Jonathan Roberts what a typical day looks like and what advice he’d give someone thinking about a career in IP law.

Technetix B.V. & Ors v Teleste Limited [2019] EWHC 126 (IPEC)

We have welcomed two new trainee patent attorneys to our team in York, bolstering the firm’s bioscience, physics and electronics expertise.

An EPO Board of Appeal has found that Article 53(b) EPC prevails over Rule 28(2) EPC as introduced by the Administrative Council of the EPO last year.

The Supreme Court has recently published its decision in the case of Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Generics (UK) Ltd t/a Mylan and another.

These new guidelines are in force from 1 November 2018.

We are pleased to announce that Secerna LLP will be exhibiting at VentureFest North East at St James' Park, Newcastle

We are pleased to announce that Sam Bloor will be attending the EMCON (formerly Durham Oktoberfest) event on 18 October 2018.

The English High Court yesterday published its decision relating to the validity of a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) (SPC/GB05/041).

We are pleased to announce that Huw Jenkins will be attending the IFIB 2018 International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy in Turin.

Agricultural technology is changing, and faster than many people realise. An underlying goal is to increase yields or other advantageous traits of crops whilst reducing inputs and environmental impacts.

We are pleased to announce that Huw Jenkins from Secerna will be attending the BioFocus Conference in Newcastle on Tuesday 3rd July.

Secerna LLP provides legal insights on patents in the Renewable Energy Sector.

Secerna is delighted to announce the arrival of Huw Jenkins to our team.

With over 1,200 km of coastline and a population of over 23 million people, Taiwan has both the natural resource and demand for Offshore Wind energy.

The UK Court of Appeal has recently referred a question relating to Article 3(a) of the SPC Regulation (469/2009) to the European Court of Justice (the CJEU) in the case of Sandoz Limited v Searle.

The UK intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) will be introducing a number of additional fees and also increasing existing fees as of 6th April 2018.

We are pleased to announce that Alexander Simpson from Secerna will be attending The Commercial UAV Show on 15 November 2017

We are pleased to announce that Charlotte Watkins from Secerna will be attending the Cell & Gene Meeting in San Diego.

UKIPO announcement from 1 October 2017 - UK registered design owners will have a new option for marking products

UK companies making profits from patented inventions and other IP rights may be eligible for a lower rate of corporation tax.

In Curt G. Joa, Inc v Fameccanica Data Judge Hacon has clarified how reference numerals can affect how a patent claim is to be interpreted.

These new guidelines were brought into effect as of 1 April 2017.

Last week, Secerna LLP attended the All-Energy® 2017 conference in Glasgow.

New Unified Patent Court expected to launch in December 2017.

In its Judgment on the dispute between Sony Communications and SSH Communications the UK High Court has deemed invalid patent EP(UK) 2254311 which relates to the use of keepalive packets.

Court of Appeal confirms $5b Pfizer drug patent invalid.

Forthcoming amendments of the UK Patents Rules 2007 will have an impact on patent practice in front of the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO).

On 29 June 2016, the US Patent Office announced a Pilot Program for Cancer Immunotherapy aimed at accelerating prosecution and grant of cancer immunotherapy patent applications.

IP related consequences of the Referendum.

The European Patent Office (EPO) has recently announced some changes to the current procedure for opposing a European patent. These changes which will take effect from 1 July 2016.

We are pleased to announce that attorneys from Secerna will be attending the BIO International Convention in San Francisco in June 2016.

In a recent patent case, Unwired Planet International Limited v Huawei Technologies Co Limited and others, the defendants tried to argue that a term used in the claims lacked clarity to the extent it was “truly ambiguous” and that as a result the patent in question was insufficient.

A recent decision published as T0205/14 by the Technical Board of Appeal at the European Patent Office outlines the possibility that an express assignment of the right to priority is not necessary for a Patentee to enjoy a right to priority.

In 2009, the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) began a scheme to allow accelerated prosecution for inventions that relate to green technologies.

A recent decision issued by the High Court has found that a patent to the second medical use of atomoxetine for the treatment of ADHD is valid.

As of 1 November 2015, European Patents can be validated in the Republic of Moldova.

In a recent decision J0022/13 the EPO has helped clarify when a divisional patent application can be validly filed.

In a recent decision issued by a Technical Board of Appeal at the European Patent Office (EPO), the strict approach the EPO applies to analysis of added matter was re-confirmed.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) recently considered whether a carrier protein covalently conjugated to the active ingredients of a vaccine could itself be protected by a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC).

A recent UK Patents Court decision has focused on the extent to which generics manufacturers can avoid injunctions by taking positive steps in support of a “skinny label”, as well as providing some useful guidance on the interpretation of “Swiss type” medical use claims.

Stem cell research companies and organisations will welcome a recent decision from the European Court of Justice (CJEU) which has extended the scope of patentability in the field of stem cell research.

US Court warns that functional biotech claims are “vulnerable to invalidity”

It is often argued that salt and polymorph screening during pharmaceutical drug development is now so routine that any resultant salts and polymorphs must be obvious from a patent perspective.

A procedural Rule of the European Patent Office (EPO) that often puts patent applicants, particularly from outside Europe, at a costly disadvantage is due to be amended in November 2014. From 1 November 2014, applicants will be able to request additional searches to be carried out following a finding of non-unity by the EPO’s Search Division.

Secerna is delighted to announce the arrival of Hazel Robson to our team. Hazel joins our chemistry and pharmaceutical team and will also support our life sciences team.

EPO amends deadline for filing divisional patent applications.

Secerna opens first new office.

LED Luminaire Designers Must Pay Patent Litigation Damages.

Patent Term Extension in the US clarified.