About
The patent system exists to nurture "the vital spark" that is each new invention. Sadly, the IP system contains many pitfalls and relies upon the patent attorney to bring that other "vital spark": the clear and complete communication of difficult ideas between the inventors, their business managers and investors, and the patent examiners, lawyers and judges who rule upon them.
I am an experienced patent attorney accustomed to dealing with a wide range of technologies. My training as a patent attorney was in a prestigious in-house department, primarily in the UK but with spells also in the Netherlands and Silicon Valley. I moved into private practice in London in 1993, moving to Glasgow in 1997. In all that time I have been securing & evaluating patents & designs for large and small clients from the UK, Europe, USA and Asia.
In electronics & software technologies I have worked in digital and mixed signal circuits for consumer electronics, telecoms, medical electronics, power switching and control. In physics & mechanical engineering, I have worked on a range of technologies from cutting-edge microlithography and optics to railway construction and water control.
In 2014 I established my own consultancy to support other professionals in delivering high value-added work in relation to patents and designs. My quick technical understanding, forensic attitude and eye for detail can be applied in litigation support, patent drafting, patent prosecution, opposition, licensing, due diligence and patent strategy generally.
Qualifications/memberships are:
BSc (Hons) Electronics and Physics, University of Edinburgh
Member of the Institute of Physics
Chartered Patent Attorney (UK)
European Patent Attorney
European Trade Mark and Design Attorney
Member of Licensing Executives Society
Member of EPI Council (UK constituency)
Member of EPI Disciplinary Committee
Associate Member of EPI Online Communication Committee
Work history
John Gray IP Limited, Director, Patent Attorney
In 2014 I established my own consultancy to support other professionals in delivering high value-added work in relation to patents and designs. My quick technical understanding, forensic attitude and eye for detail can be applied in litigation support, patent drafting, patent prosecution, opposition, licensing, due diligence and patent strategy generally.
Murgitroyd, Director, Patents
Qualifications:
BSc(1st) Electronics and Physics, University of Edinburgh,
Member, Institute of Physics
Chartered Patent Attorney (UK)
European Patent Attorney
European Trade Mark and Design Attorney
Particular Intellectual Property Areas & Expertise:
Electronic and computer-related inventions including computer graphics; image and audio processing (coding); mixed signal circuits microprocessor architectures; networks for consumer electronics; optical disc storage systems (CD, DVD etc); telecoms instrumentation; medical electronics; power switching and control, and other specialist electronic circuitry (analogue and digital). Physics & mechanical engineering, particularly offshore construction and pipelaying. IP portfolio management and licensing. Re-establishment of rights. IP issues in China.
Fitzpatricks, Patent Attorney, latterly director and shareholder
In 1997 I joined Fitzpatricks patent & trade mark attorneys, established 1887 and based in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
In 2000 I was part of the MBO team which acquired the practice from Alan Fitzpatrick upon his retirement.
In 2006 Fitzpatricks was acquired by Murgitroyd & Company.
Beresford & Co, Patent Attorney
I joined Beresford & Co in London at the start of 1993 and left in 1997 to join Fitzpatricks and return to Scotland. During this time I worked on various technologies, but especially image processing inventions and natural langauge processing.
Philips Electronics, Patent Engineer, Patent Attorney
After university I joined Philips Electronics' London patent department, where I trained as a patent attorney. In additional o protecting inventions out of Philips R&D facilities in the UK, I had spells working also in Sunnyvale CA (Silicon Valley) and in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
