How I can help your business

• Guide you through patent infringement, validity and licensing disputes.
• Coordinate and implement multi-jurisdictional litigation strategies, including UK, European and UPC proceedings.
• Provide strategic advice on freedom to operate, due diligence and IP-related commercial transactions to support investment decisions.

Overview & Expertise

Charlie is a Partner and patent litigator at Marks & Clerk 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.

Charlie is well accustomed to handling multijurisdictional matters involving teams from across the world, often coordinating global and European, including UPC, litigation strategies for his clients and advising on the interaction between parallel litigation and EPO opposition proceedings.

His practice covers biopharmaceutical patent litigation as well as wider litigation, arbitration and commercial IP matters across sectors including medical devices, agrochemicals, manufacturing, oil and gas, electronics, telecommunications and technology. Recent and ongoing work includes advice for global biopharmaceutical, medical device and agrochemical clients on patent enforcement strategies in the UK, UPC and European national courts concerning therapeutic and vaccine products in the respiratory, oncology, autoimmune and pain fields, transcatheter heart valves and herbicide formulations.

In addition to his litigation practice, Charlie also advises clients on freedom to operate and IP due diligence, including regulatory data protection and SPC matters, 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 leading patent litigator.

Client Work & Case 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.

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.

Key Cases

Syngenta v Sumi Agro

Meril v Edwards

Kordzadeh v MG Electric

Pfizer v GSK

Regeneron/Teva v Rinat (Pfizer)

Pfizer v Roche

Chugai v UCB

Fujifilm v AbbVie

Semafone v Eckoh

Hospira v Genentech

Regeneron/Bayer v Genentech