Eleanor has worked with clients from a broad range of sectors including automotive engineering, packaging, construction, control systems and heavy industrial machinery. She has experience in drafting and prosecuting applications in the UK and Europe.

Education & background

Eleanor graduated from the University of Sheffield with a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Her final year project involved developing a computational model showing the dynamic effects of vibration on sports equipment.

Eleanor gained experience with condition monitoring and signal processing during her placement as a gas turbine engineer.

Having joined Withers & Rogers as a trainee in 2016, Alex has significant experience in drafting and prosecuting UK and European patent applications, primarily relating to technology in the materials and engineering sectors.

Alex has previously worked for global technology companies as well as academic institutes, and has a particular interest in the fields of composites, Titanium and Steel metallurgy and conductive polymer research. His experience in research has afforded him the ability to gain an intimate understanding of inventions in these fields, and this enables him to provide clients with commercially relevant IP protection.

Education & background

Alex graduated from the University of Sheffield in July 2015 with a first class Masters degree in Aerospace Materials, his thesis focussing upon the life cycle analysis of materials used in global stainless steel production. He also received the 2015 Armourer’s and Braziers Prize during his course of study, as well as an SMEA award in 2014, in recognition of his research in the field of conductive polymers.

Andrew assists clients ranging from multinational electronics companies to higher education institutions and local SMEs, over a wide variety of different technological sectors falling under the electronic, computing and physics umbrella. He has experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications, including representing clients at hearings before the European Patent Office, as well as providing freedom to operate opinions. For example, his work has related to inventions in the software, telecommunications, clean technology, aeronautical, remote sensing, and financial services sectors.

Andrew has worked extensively in the field of computing devices and software, with a particular emphasis on touch sensitive input technologies, graphical user interfaces, and user interaction techniques. His experience in this sector also extends to networking systems, media content management and editing, data synchronisation techniques, image analysis. In light of this experience, Andrew is particularly well-placed to advise clients on the requirements for gaining patent protection for computer implemented inventions in Europe.

Following research into photovoltaic devices during his Doctorate, Andrew has retained an active interest in renewable technologies, and has been involved in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the wind turbine sector.

In addition to the above, Andrew also has experience of hardware and driving techniques for visual displays, actuation and monitoring systems in the aeronautical sector, various detection and sensing technologies (including spectroscopic and optical devices), and point of sale systems.

Education & background

Andrew joined Withers & Rogers in 2013 shortly after completing a Doctorate in Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Oxford. Andrew’s research focussed on optoelectronic devices fabricated from solution-processable materials, in particular organic and hybrid solar cells. Prior to this, Andrew obtained a first class Masters degree in Physics, also from the University of Oxford.

Russell is a qualified British, French and European Patent Attorney and head of our French Office. In addition to his broad experience in private practice dealing with patent and design prosecution and Freedom to Operate (FTO) advice, Russell also gained in-house experience on a year-long part-time secondment to a multinational consumer product company based in Geneva.

Russell has particular experience in technology areas including structures for electric machines and their control, medical instruments, automotive, aerospace, oil exploration and extraction, packaging and manufacturing technology, as well as computer implemented control systems and graphical user interfaces.

Education & background

Russell studied Manufacturing Engineering and Management with French at the University of Bath, including a year in industry working for Delphi Automotive Systems in Paris, France, and completing a research project at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Electricité et de Mécanique (ENSEM) in Nancy, France, where he developed digital imaging analysis tools to analyse turbulent mixing flows for the modelling of the dispersion of pollutants in cities. He graduated in 2002 with a Master’s degree in Engineering.

Following graduation, Russell trained in Broadcast Engineering Project Management at the BBC, gaining the BBC Eng qualification and managing a key part of the first UK public service High Definition TV channel.

Russell joined the patent profession in 2007. He is a qualified European patent attorney, Chartered British Patent Attorney, and French Patent Attorney. Russell joined Withers & Rogers in 2013. In March 2023, he was registered as a representative before the new Unified Patent Court, one of the first European patent attorneys to be entered on the list of UPC representatives.

Richard’s patent experience lies mainly in the fields of mechanical engineering and control systems, with particular emphasis on aerospace and defence, automotive, clean energy, packaging and medical device technologies.

Richard works extensively on a wide range of aircraft technologies, including flight control surfaces and systems, composites design and manufacturing, aircraft structures, fuel systems and UAVs. In the automotive sector he has particular experience of IC engines, turbochargers, vehicle air-conditioners, caravans, smart toll charging systems and off-highway vehicles. He also handles numerous EPO oppositions and appeals.

He supports a wide range of clients including universities, start-ups and multinational corporations such as Europe’s leading commercial aircraft manufacturer and a global leader in sustainable energy solutions.

As head of the firm’s Designs group, Richard advises clients mainly in the cosmetics, fashion, furniture and medical device industries. His clients use design rights to supplement other forms of IP protection, such as patents and trade marks, and as a stand-alone backbone of their IP strategy. Richard often combines his keen eye for design aesthetics with his engineering background to great effect in scoping out design registrations for functional items.

Richard has a wealth of experience in all aspects of patent practice. In addition to patent drafting and prosecution work around the world he is experienced in portfolio management, invention harvesting, litigation and European Patent Office Opposition and Appeal proceedings, IP ownership in collaborative projects, licensing and entitlement dispute resolution, and freedom to operate, validity and infringement opinions.

Career highlights to date include the successful resolution of a complex IP ownership dispute and a series of freedom to operate exercises for global players where the outcomes were strategically important to their businesses.

Education & background

Richard graduated with a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College, London.  He entered the profession in 2002, qualifying as a European and UK Patent Attorney in 2007. Richard joined Withers & Rogers in 2008. In March 2023, he was registered as a representative before the new Unified Patent Court, one of the first European patent attorneys to be entered on the list of UPC representatives.

Nicola’s experience as a patent attorney lies mostly in the packaging, rail and automotive sectors.  She also has experience with mechanical latches, medical devices and energy.  She has particular expertise in FTO searching and advice regarding patents and designs for packaging products.  Thanks to her earlier career, Nicola has experience in the design of fabrication units for power electronics used in the rail industry.

Nicola’s clients include multi-national companies and SMEs, as well as private inventors.

Education & background

Nicola graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2006 with a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with honours in Mechanical Engineering.  She worked as a mechanical draughtsman at an electrical engineering firm before joining Withers & Rogers as a trainee in 2008, qualifying as a UK patent attorney in 2012 and as a European patent attorney in 2015. In March 2023, she was registered as a representative before the new Unified Patent Court, one of the first European patent attorneys to be entered on the list of UPC representatives.