How I can help your business

• Design and deliver IP workshops and innovation sessions to help engineering teams identify and protect commercially relevant innovation.
• Provide IP due diligence for M&A and investment transactions, identifying risks, ownership issues and key strengths to support decision making.
• Advise on freedom to operate and infringement risk across jurisdictions, with practical strategies aligned to your commercial objectives.

Overview & Expertise

Alistair Robertson is a Partner based in Glasgow and a Chartered Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney and UPC representative. His practice covers electronics, semiconductors, computer-implemented inventions and mechanical engineering. He works predominantly with multinational corporates on complex, multi-jurisdictional IP matters, with a particular focus on IP due diligence in the context of mergers, acquisitions and investment transactions, and Freedom to Operate analyses. His experience in these areas supports clients in identifying, assessing and managing IP risk in high-value commercial settings.

Before joining Marks & Clerk in 2015, Alistair worked as an embedded systems architect, developing microcontrollers and software across applications including automotive, imaging and communications. He has 14 years’ experience in the microelectronics and semiconductor industry, with international experience spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. This technical background informs his practical, commercially focused advice to clients operating in innovation-driven sectors.

Alistair holds a first-class MEng in Electronics & Electrical Engineering from the University of Glasgow, where he specialised in optoelectronics and laser physics. His master’s thesis, “Resonant Tunnelling and Far Field Measurements of Quantum Cascade Lasers”, reflects his technical grounding in advanced semiconductor technologies.

He is a Chartered Engineer and has presented at several international conferences and authored many technical papers. He is also named as an inventor on 34 granted patents.

Client Work & Case Experience

• Global Freedom to Operate Programme for Utility Software Platforms (Anonymous Multinational Corporate) - Advised a multinational provider of utility metering software on designing and implementing a scalable Freedom to Operate (FTO) framework to support rapid, software driven product releases. Led the legal and technical strategy, working closely with in house engineers to assess infringement risk and develop design-around solutions. Developed repeatable workflows and search brief methodologies to integrate IP review into the client’s development process. Provided hands on advice on interpreting patent search results and evaluating infringement risk for software applications deployed on utility meters. Collaborated directly with technical and project teams to identify and implement mitigation strategies, including technical design-arounds.
• Global IP Education and Ideation Programme for Smart Energy Technologies (Anonymous Multinational Corporate) - Designed and delivered a fully bespoke IP education programme aligned to the client’s products, R&D workflows and commercial strategy. Led in person, multi-day workshops across Europe and the US covering IP fundamentals, FTO, standard-essential patents, patent strategy and competitive intelligence. Enabled cross-functional teams to identify protectable innovation, strengthen the IP portfolio and embed IP awareness into day to day product development.