How I can help your business

• Advising on patentability in the software space, with particular experience in Artificial Intelligence
• Patent portfolio management across multiple jurisdictions
• Providing strategic IP advice for start-ups and SMEs

Overview & Expertise

Lara Sibley is a Partner in the patents team, based in Marks & Clerk’s London office. Her practice focuses on protecting inventions in the artificial intelligence field, with particular experience in applications such as natural language processing, medical imaging and home automation. She also advises clients globally on patenting AI innovations and has delivered presentations in Japan on the EPO’s approach to AI. She has completed the Stanford University certificate in Machine Learning.

In addition to AI, Lara works across a range of technologies in the software and electronics sectors, including in particular cryptography, Agritech, video coding (including standards essentiality evaluations), medical devices, wireless networking, optical devices and semiconductor devices.

Lara represents clients in proceedings before the European Patent Office, including oral proceedings, oppositions and appeals. She advises a wide range of clients, from individual inventors and start-ups to SMEs and multinational organisations, and has experience prosecuting patent applications in Europe, the US, China and Japan.

Lara joined Marks & Clerk in 2012. She qualified as a UK Chartered Patent Attorney in 2016, having been awarded the Moss Prize for the highest aggregate mark in the Basic UK Patent Law and Basic Overseas Patent Law papers. She also qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2016, having achieved the highest mark in Europe for the English language Opposition paper. Lara has a first class degree in physics from Durham University, and went on to obtain a PhD in solid state physics from the University of Cambridge before joining Marks & Clerk.

Client Work & Case Experience

• In-house legal department — completed an 18-month secondment, supporting patent portfolio management activities.