Nick is a partner in our Life Sciences & Chemistry group. Clients globally recognise him for his specialization in the biosciences, with significant clients in the biotechnology sphere. His expertise lies in immunotherapy (in particular, T cells, antibodies and vaccines), RNA therapeutics, nanotechnology, and gene editing technology.
His passions include working with biotechnology companies to add value by building strong patent portfolios aligned to their strategic goals, designing and implementing patenting strategies and providing commercial and strategic advice on third party rights in due diligence exercises. Throughout his career, Nick has taken numerous clients from initial funding through to their eventual IPO.
Nick’s experience and success in prosecution and opposition at the European Patent Office means that he is often asked to deal with cutting edge and high profile cases. For example, he represented The Johns Hopkins University in the seminal case that set the 'plausibility' test for the circumstances in which data generated after the filing date can be used to support inventive step in a European patent (T1329/04), and that led to the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal clarifying this test in the recent G2/21 decision. He also fronts the effort to help secure
European protection for Harvard College’s cutting-edge work on the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system.
Alongside working with clients to develop and deliver their IP strategies, Nick is responsible for a number of initiatives for delivering the firm’s strategic plan. Under his leadership, the firm opened a K&S’s liaison office in Boston, the biotech hub of the US, bringing K&S’ European patent attorneys closer to their clients.
Year joined the firm: 1999
