How I can help your business

• Align your IP strategy with your wider business objectives to support commercial decision-making
• Identify and protect valuable intellectual property through practical, cost‑effective measures
• Develop and implement prosecution strategies before IP offices that reflect your business priorities

Overview & Expertise

Martin Hyden is a Partner with more than 40 years’ experience in the intellectual property profession. He is based in Birmingham and has worked both in-house and in private practice, with experience across the UK, US, Japan, France and Belgium.

His in-house career was primarily within large international organisations, working in research and engineering environments with responsibility for global IP matters. This included close collaboration with business leadership, R&D, legal and marketing functions, providing IP guidance aligned to commercial and technical objectives.

In private practice, Martin has advised a wide range of clients, from individuals and start-ups to SMEs, universities and multinational companies. His practice is predominantly focused on patents, alongside significant experience in designs, trade marks and trade secrets. He advises across sectors including defence, oil and gas, semiconductors, medical technologies, pharmaceuticals, energy, aerospace, safety equipment, measurement technologies and internet access technologies. His broad sector experience enables him to provide commercially grounded and technically informed advice.

Martin has extensive experience before the UK and European Patent Offices and, having passed the USPTO examination while based in the US, has also prosecuted cases directly before the USPTO. He is a European Patent Attorney, Chartered Patent Attorney (UK),

Chartered Trade Mark Attorney (UK) and UPC Representative, and holds a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham (1983).

He has also contributed to the profession through roles with examination bodies, including serving on the European Qualifying Examination committees at the EPO and holding positions as marker, principal and chief examiner for the UK Patent Examination Board. He currently serves on its governance board.

Client Work & Case Experience

• GEC Marconi (defence and electronics) - acted as in-house patent attorney, supporting IP matters within a complex engineering and technology environment
• Schlumberger (oil & gas services and semiconductor testing) - served as in-house IP counsel with responsibility for IP across multiple technical business areas
• BTG - represented the client in EPO oppositions and appeals relating to non-surgical treatment of varicose veins (commercialised as Varithena), and prosecuted and defended a patent portfolio relating to embolisation products for use in cancer therapies
• Energy and industrial sectors - managed patent portfolios including fuel cell technologies for vehicle applications and technologies for a major manufacturer of industrial valves and actuators