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Appleyard Lees appoints new partner to drive continuing growth

ByEmily

Oct 29, 2016

Leading UK and European patent and trade mark attorney Appleyard Lees http://www.appleyardlees.com, has appointed electronic patent specialist Julia Gwilt as a Partner to spearhead the firm’s continuing expansion. Julia will be working with Appleyard Lees clients across the UK and globally.

Julia joins Appleyard Lees after nineteen years in the profession including six years as a partner at Marks & Clerk. Over the years, Julia has worked with clients securing patent portfolios for software inventions with complex mathematics at their core including loudspeakers, the oil industry and bioinformatics. She has also worked in other technical fields including consumer products such as sanitary ware, hair-care devices and e-readers.

As well as managing the prosecution of patent portfolios covering the UK and overseas, Julia has also has managed over 70 oppositions to European patents, primarily in the field of electronic program guides. She is also a founding member of the Patent Examination Board which administers the examinations for entry into the UK patent profession. Having a keen interest in training, Julia delivers programmes to enable both attorneys and clients to understand more about IP.

Announcing Julia’s appointment, Appleyard Lees Managing Director Joanne King comments: “Julia joins us at a key time in our growth trajectory and will be playing a vital role in consolidating and growing our presence and client base in the tech and electronic sectors both within and beyond the North of England.”

Julia says: “Appleyard Lees is one of the most ambitious patent law firms in the country so being able to match my skills and expertise with their growth plans is incredibly exciting.

My background in computing and software driven inventions already fits well with the firm’s existing client base but it also now gives us an ideal springboard for expanding across many other technological sectors.”

Julia’s appointment brings the firm’s number of partners to 15 and to a total headcount of just over 100. The firm was recently recognized in a number of major industry awards including the ‘Managing IP Awards’ and the ‘North West Chemicals Awards’.

Appleyard Lees, which has offices in Manchester, Leeds and Halifax, offers a breadth of expertise covering a wide range of IP and related issues, from building and managing portfolios to risk assessments, patent landscaping and due diligence. Services include patents, trade marks, disputes as well as design and copyright. Further information on Appleyard Lees can be found at www.appleyardlees.com @AppleyardLees

By Emily