Member Profiles

I have done over 23,000 medicolegal reports over a period of 30 years. The majority are necessarily Claimant instructions but I have also done a significant number of Defendant instructions. I hold the Diploma in Disability Assessment Medicine (Department of Occupational Health, Royal College of Physicians London) in addition to being a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. I also have the Cardiff University Law School/ Bond Solon Expert witness qualification, fulfilling one of the requirements of the Academy of Royal Colleges May 2019 paper indicating that all experts must be trained. My annual appraisal is on my medicolegal work, which is another requirement of that paper.

Ralph Cox has specialised in contentious intellectual property matters, particularly patent litigation, for over twenty-five years. He is independently recognised by a variety of industry publications as one of the UK's leading patent lawyers as well as being noted for intellectual property generally. Ralph’s practice covers all aspects of intellectual property, both contentious and non-contentious, and all industry sectors.  He has thus litigated patents, trade marks, designs, confidential information and licensing and other IP contractual disputes before the Patents Court, High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC).  He has also worked with attorneys on a range of patent, design and trade mark matters before the European Patent Office, UK Intellectual Property Office and EUIPO and has regularly coordinated international IP litigation where multinational companies are involved, or the infringing activities extend beyond the UK. Within the patent field, Ralph’s focus is on life sciences, advising clients on matters such as freedom to operate, research exemptions, litigation strategies and contractual issues as well as conducting litigation itself.  He also advises clients on transactional and regulatory matters and carries out due diligence exercises on product acquisitions and fund raisings. Outside the life sciences sector Ralph has litigated patents as diverse as riflescopes, prenatal genetic tests, vanadium redox batteries, ultrasonic bonding of disposable nappies, porridge containers and DRAMs.  Ralph is recognised as a leading practitioner for patent litigation, and IP generally, in legal directories such as Chambers UK and Global, Legal 500, Managing IP’s Patent Stars and Intellectual Asset Management’s Patent 1000.  Reviews include the comments: “Ralph Cox is a highly impressive patent lawyer- I would rate him as exceptional, and one of the very best I have worked with. His knowledge of the industry and the law is exceptional, and he is equally at home dealing with contentious and non-contentious work. Ralph manages somehow to be able to absorb and process all of the detail while also maintaining a high-level view of the case, transaction or advice at hand, which means he is able to provide user-friendly commercial advice to clients.” (Legal 500, 2021) ”Ralph Cox has unrivalled knowledge of patent law and practice – he is very good with clients and very supportive” (Legal 500, 2022) Practice Description Ralph’s practice covers all industry sectors and includes: freedom to operate opinions prior art searches and advice on validity general due diligence on patent (and other IP) portfolios UK Patent Office opinion requests conducting patent entitlement, validity and/or infringement disputes before all levels of the UK courts advising on the drafting of patent-related agreements, including assignments, licences and collaboration agreements conducting disputes arising from such agreements coordinating multi-jurisdictional patent disputes regulatory issues relating to patented medicines and medical devices Matters Examples of past matters include: Machinery Developments v Sealed Air (meat packaging machines) DeLonghi v SEB (deep fat fryers) Greiner Bio-One v Becton Dickinson (blood collection tubes) Ronseal v ICI (garden fence sprayer) Omnipharm v Sepracor (desloratadine for hay fever) Omnipharm v Merial (fipronil formulations for flea protection) Phil & Teds v TFK (convertible baby buggies) Swarovski Optik v Leica (riflescopes) Illumina v TDL Genetics (genetic tests for foetal chromosomal abnormalities, e.g. Downs) Curt G. Joa v Fameccanica.Data (ultrasonic bonding of disposable nappies) Michael Dichand v Hydraredox Technologies Holdings (vanadium-redox batteries) Confidential (second medical use patents for cancer treatments) Confidential (catalysed particulate filters for NOx reduction in diesel vehicles)

Additional Areas: Intellectual Property, IP Litigation, Patent Litigation, Patents Areas of expertise: Patent drafting and prosecution; infringement opinions; due diligence; IP audits; EPO oppositions; Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. John has over 30 years’ experience as a patent attorney and acts for a diverse range of clients, from startups and SMEs to large global corporates. His University of Cambridge degree in Natural Sciences means he is well placed to help clients in the physics and computer-implemented technologies fields.  John has deep and varied experience in writing and prosecuting patents in advanced engineering, aerospace, lasers and optics hardware, medical devices and implants and software controlled telemedicine/robotic surgery, and medical IT systems. In addition to being Barker Brettell’s senior partner, John heads up the firm’s Aerospace sector group, as well as leading the firm’s secondment initiative. Experience: Worked at QinetiQ investigating III-IV semi-conductor properties using laser-induced phonon excitation. He undertook patent work on a wide range of technologies, including optical laser diffraction and ultrasound dispersion for particle size distribution determination on optics and software Drafting and filing patents for computer-implemented technology inventions Worked with HP on computer networks and media delivery Worked on backbone internet optical networks, switches and routers for Ericsson and for Cisco Drafting and filing patents on security software/technology for QinetiQ  Drafting and filings patents for clients in the Fin Tech sector on financial technology such as credit cards Worked on vehicle telematic systems, control systems and display systems Qualifications: MA (Cantab), Natural Sciences (Physics) - CPA, EPA, RTMA, UPC Representative University Alumni: - University of Cambridge Sector specialisms: Aerospace Automotive Computing & Software Energy Food & Drink Medical Universities Technical specialisms: Advanced engineering Computers and electronics Consumer products Electronics and semiconductors Fintech Mechanical engineering Medical devices Nanotechnology Optics Physics and materials Telecommunications Articles: https://www.barkerbrettell.co.uk/do-you-have-a-european-patent-application/ https://www.barkerbrettell.co.uk/the-shape-of-things-to-come-upc-first-decision-hints-at-pro-patentee-leaning/ https://www.barkerbrettell.co.uk/intellectual-property-the-lifeblood-of-smes/

In the biological and chemical fields, Michael Marchant’s expertise comes in all sizes. He works on gene sequences, immunology and antibody technology. He has experience in small molecule pharmaceuticals and cellular technology, particularly stem cell biology. He also works on polymer technology, diagnostic technology and medical devices. Michael works closely with clients to advise on European and global filing strategies. That extends to obtaining and opposing patent term extensions (SPCs) and advising on regulatory and orphan drug issues. He is regularly involved in contentious work, including due diligence advice and infringement and validity opinions, and attendance at EPO opposition and appeal proceedings. Michael also regularly provides opinions on registered and unregistered design infringement and validity, as well as being heavily involved in registered design filings. He is a member of Murgitroyd’s design group. Michael read Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in plant sciences (including plant pathology and plant genetics). He joined Murgitroyd in 2008 to head the London Office patent group, having spent almost six years at a leading London firm of patent attorneys.

Holly deals with all manner of Private Client work but has particular expertise in the area of elderly and vulnerable clients. Holly joined Morr & Co in September 2006 as a Trainee Solicitor and qualified as an Assistant Solicitor into the Private Client department in October 2008. She became a Partner in October 2015 and took over as Department Head in 2016. Holly is an experienced Court of Protection practitioner (contentious and non-contentious), with a background in wider private client law.  She holds a number of professional appointments and qualifications, including being a panel deputy, panel guardian and a director of national organisations Solicitors for the Elderly and the Professional Deputies Forum (of which she was a founding member).  She also sits on the Court of Protection Rules Committee.  Academically, Holly is the author of A Practical Guide to Assessing Mental Capacity (Law Publishing), a co-author of the Law Society’s Elderly Client Handbook (6th Edition) and Finance & Law for the Older Client (Lexis Nexis Butterworths).  She also lectures for MBL and various other organisations. Holly was named as one of ePrivateclient’s Top 35 Under 35 in 2015 and 2016, as well as being ranked as an individual in both Chambers and Legal 500 over several years. She was a winner of Women in Law 2018 for her work with vulnerable clients. In 2021 Holly was named as Surrey Law Society Private Client Lawyer of the year for the third time, as well as winning Surrey Lawyer of the Year, having been shortlisted twice previously. She was also shortlisted for Today’s Wills & Probate Industry Champion at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2021, along with a shortlisting for the wider team for Private Client Team of the Year.