• Our People
  • Global Presence
  • Regions
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Americas
  • Offices
    • Canada
      • Ottawa
      • Toronto
    • China
      • Beijing
      • Hong Kong
    • Luxembourg
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore
    • UK
      • Aberdeen
      • Birmingham
      • Cambridge
      • Edinburgh
      • Glasgow
      • London
      • Manchester
      • Oxford
  • Client liaison
    • Japan
    • Korea
  • Expertise
  • Services
    • Patents
    • Brands & Trade Marks
    • Designs
    • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    • Commercial IP & Contracts
    • Due Diligence
    • Freedom to Operate
    • EPO Patent Oppositions
    • European Patent Validations
    • Anti-counterfeiting
    • Open Source & Third Party Code
  • Sectors
    • Digital Transformation
      • 3D Printing
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Data & Connectivity
      • Extended Reality
      • Industry 4.0
    • Energy & Environment
    • Life Sciences
    • Agritech
    • Medical Technologies
    • Chemistry
    • Transport
    • Entertainment & Creative Industries
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Retail
    • Universities & Research Bodies
    • Start-ups & Spin-outs
      • Creating value for start-ups
      • The IP driven start-up
    • Financial Services
  • About Us
    • Working with us
    • Awards
    • Corporate & Social Responsibility
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Careers
  • Insights
    • Articles
    • News
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Unified Patent Court hub
    • Beyond Brexit: European trade mark hub
    • M&C Reacts
  • Contact Us
Marks & Clerk logo
Marks & Clerk logo
Contact Us
Language
English
Our People
Global Presence
Regions
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Americas
Offices
  • Canada
    • Ottawa
    • Toronto
  • China
    • Beijing
    • Hong Kong
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • UK
    • Aberdeen
    • Birmingham
    • Cambridge
    • Edinburgh
    • Glasgow
    • London
    • Manchester
    • Oxford
Client liaison
  • Japan
  • Korea
Expertise
Services
  • Patents
  • Brands & Trade Marks
  • Designs
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Commercial IP & Contracts
  • Due Diligence
  • Freedom to Operate
  • EPO Patent Oppositions
  • European Patent Validations
  • Anti-counterfeiting
  • Open Source & Third Party Code
Sectors
  • Digital Transformation
    • 3D Printing
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Blockchain
    • Data & Connectivity
    • Extended Reality
    • Industry 4.0
  • Energy & Environment
  • Life Sciences
  • Agritech
  • Medical Technologies
  • Chemistry
  • Transport
  • Entertainment & Creative Industries
  • Food & Drink
  • Fashion & Retail
  • Universities & Research Bodies
  • Start-ups & Spin-outs
    • Creating value for start-ups
    • The IP driven start-up
  • Financial Services
About Us
  • Working with us
  • Awards
  • Corporate & Social Responsibility
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
Insights
  • Articles
  • News
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Unified Patent Court hub
  • Beyond Brexit: European trade mark hub
  • M&C Reacts
Photo: Charlie Balme

Charlie Balme

Partner

Europe
London

Get in contact

+44 20 7420 0250 cbalme@marks-clerk.com
vCard

Charlie is a Partner and patent litigator at Marks & Clerk Law who advises clients on the enforcement, defence and commercialisation of intellectual property, with a particular focus on patent and licensing disputes in the life sciences field. In addition to biopharmaceutical patent litigation, Charlie’s expertise extends to litigation, arbitration and commercial IP matters in fields ranging from medical devices, manufacturing and oil and gas to electronics, telecommunications and technology. 

Charlie is well accustomed to handling multijurisdictional matters involving teams from across the world, often coordinating global and European litigation strategies for his clients and advising on the interaction between parallel litigation and EPO opposition proceedings. He also advises clients on related regulatory data protection and SPC matters. Recent and ongoing work includes advice for global biopharmaceutical clients on patent enforcement strategies concerning products in the oncology, autoimmune and pain fields.

In addition to his litigation practice, Charlie also advises clients on freedom to operate and IP due diligence, assisting clients with strategic investment decisions where IP is concerned.

After playing a leading role in a number of complex and high profile disputes and with 20 years’ experience in IP, Charlie is recognised as a global leader in life sciences patent litigation.


Key Cases

  • Regeneron/Teva v Rinat (Pfizer)
  • Pfizer v Roche
  • Chugai v UCB
  • Fujifilm v AbbVie
  • Semafone v Eckoh
  • Hospira v Genentech
  • Regeneron/Bayer v Genentech

Experience

  • Life Sciences sector: Charlie has advised numerous global and European biopharmaceutical clients on UK, European and global patent litigation strategies, including complex patent infringement and revocation actions in the fields of oncology, autoimmune and pain therapy. His lead role in the successful, multijurisdictional Chugai Pharmaceutical v UCB case before the UK courts particularly stands out.
  • Telecommunications & electronics sector: Charlie has advised on a confidential LCIA arbitration in the telecoms field over FRAND patent licence fees for mobile telephony infrastructure and he has also advised clients on disputes relating to RFID and fire alarm systems in the electronics sector.
  • IP Transactions: On the commercial side, Charlie regularly advises on the negotiation, drafting and scope of commercial contracts dealing with the acquisition, sale and licensing of intellectual property rights, including patent licensing, R&D collaboration, co-ownership and co-development agreements. 
  • Brand Protection: Charlie also advises on brand related matters, including UK and European customs border detention procedures to combat the circulation of counterfeit products, copyright, confidentiality and online IP rights matters. 
  • He speaks fluent French.

 

Professional Highlights

Charlie is recognised as a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 (2023) and as a Global Leader for Life Sciences Patent Litigation and Patents in Who’s Who Legal (2023).

Charlie became a partner in 2014. 

Languages

  • English
  • Français (French)

Specialist in

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Patents
  • Life Sciences

Qualifications

Diploma in Intellectual Property Law, Bristol University (2005)

Qualified as a Solicitor in England & Wales (2003)

LLB (Hons), University of Edinburgh (1998)

Search our people

Latest Insights

Chemistry
Article
- 24 March 2023

Preliminary position on priority published

As we reported in early 2022, the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO are considering two pending referrals (G1/22 and G2/22) regarding the question of entitlement to priority. A hearing has now been set for 26 May 2023, and the Enlarged Board have now issued a preliminary opinion setting out the points to be discussed.
Read more
Cambridge - City of Innovation
Article
- 24 March 2023

Cambridge: City of Innovation - The Oxford-Cambridge Innovation Arc

Against the backdrop of the 2023 Boat Race taking place, here we consider which is the most entrepreneurial university – Oxford or Cambridge?
Read more
Quantum computing
Article
- 22 March 2023

International patent insights on quantum computing

The latest patent insight report from the European Patent Office (EPO) looks at the trends in patent filings for quantum computing, and has uncovered some interesting findings.
Read more
Marks & Clerk logo (white)
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookies
  • Legal Notices
  • Press Enquiries
  • Lexology
  • Mondaq