With 20 years' experience of litigating intellectual property disputes both within the UK and internationally, Paul Inman works with companies ranging from small start-ups to major multi-national corporations. He specialises in the life sciences sector, which has included acting on high-profile pharmaceutical patent infringement and revocation actions in the UK Patents Court.
As a global industry, life science businesses expect commercial advice from lawyers with an international outlook. Paul's specialist experience and skill set make him perfectly placed to provide this expertise and client care.
His role has extended to litigating across industries as diverse as fashion, oil drilling and consumer products both here, and overseas. Whether "success" is measured by getting the right court order at the end of the dispute, or evaluating and reaching the right commercial settlement between the parties beforehand, a thorough and balanced assessment on each case is critical. The ultimate aim for Paul is to provide his clients with well-rounded advice and guidance to ensure the best possible outcome.
His interest and expertise in the life sciences sector has also seen him advising on regulatory work concerning European pharmaceutical bodies.
Paul's role gives him the unique opportunity to act for a wide range of patent and design proprietors, which he relishes.
Paul's first degree is in molecular biology and biochemistry, which means he can take on highly complex pharmaceutical or biotechnology inventions, as easily as less technical (but equally important) mechanical patents and designs.
Successfully guiding clients through the maze of litigation is where Paul's strength lies, having now been involved over 20 years of litigation in cases leading to more than 40 reported judgments, ranging from the tribunals of the UK Patent Office (UKIPO) up to the House of Lords (UK Supreme Court), European Patent Office (EPO) and European Court of Justice (CJ EU).
As well as litigating in the English courts, Paul has co-ordinated and advised on IP and regulatory litigation matters across the globe, as far afield as the US, South Africa, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand, and closer to home, in Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
It is this great variety of work and clients that, for Paul, really makes the job dynamic and exciting, week-in and week-out.
Highlights
In a nutshell – winning a large litigation action, when losing would have meant closing the company down. The case involved working to overturn a first instance patent invalidity finding. Paul went to the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords and at the end of all the hard work, the patent was upheld by both.
It was a key triumph for Paul because a loss would have meant the client's UK operation effectively closing down, leading to the redundancy of more than 100 people. Not just a commercial "win" - this end result was extremely rewarding from a real-life, real people point of view.
Experience
- Advising the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research in the first 'biosimilar' patent litigation in the UK. Kennedy's patents protect the use of several of the world's largest selling monoclonal antibody medicines. A generic manufacturer seeking to market its biosimilar antibody (the first authorised for sale in Europe) sought to revoke Kennedy's patents. This was a technically demanding case requiring detailed research into the seminal nature of the invention. Paul brought a strong case for Kennedy to trial which ultimately resulted in a favourable settlement mid-trial.
- Acting for H. Lundbeck A/S defending a revocation action brought against the patent for its blockbuster anti-depressant drug, escitalopram. The action involved unusual applications, both to strike the revocation case out, and to replace the judge (due to a potential conflict). The case itself was highly complex involving substantial organic chemistry experiments in the evidence. As a trusted adviser to Lundbeck for more than eight years, Paul led the case to a significant and successful outcome for the client.
- Acting for a global brand in actions for infringement of UK Unregistered Design Right (UDR). The case involved multiple allegations of infringement and potentially new aspects of law relating to the scope of UDR.
- Acting for Neurim Pharmaceuticals Ltd in its appeal of the UK Patent Office's refusal to grant a Supplementary Protection Certificate (an extension to the term of a patent) for its medicinal product, Circadin. After a referral to the CJ EU, Neurim was ultimately granted its SPC.
Year Joined Firm: 2010
Education/Alumni: Higher Courts (Civil Proceedings) Qualification; Bristol University - Diploma in Intellectual Property and Practice; College of Law, London - CPE & LSF; Durham University - BSc Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
