Chris Mercer Vice-President

Carpmaels & Ransford, 43 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2RA. Aged 59.

M.A.(Oxon.); M.Sc.(Oxon.);CPA; EPA; RTMA; Patent Attorney Litigator since 2001. Registered 13th September, 1979

Professional career: Technical assistant National Coal Board Patents Department 1975-1981. Technical assistant Carpmaels & Ransford 1975-1988.  Partner 1988 to date.

Papers or articles: None

Services to Institute: Examiner Intermediate Exams, Foreign Law. Council member since 1999. At various times, I have been on Patents Committee, Protected Titles Committee and Soc & Prog. Various lectures, mainly on P6, to Informals, and presentations to OGMs on new EPC Rules.

Meetings attended:
2008-9: OGMs 0 of 10; Committees 2 of 6; Council 3 of 12
2009-10: OGMs 2 of 9; Committees 6 of 13; Council 4 of 12

Services to the profession outside the Institute: Tutor for many years on Finals and EQE Exams and the JDD courses.  Member of EPI Council. UK EPI Board member. President of EPI.

Other relevant information: Having served on the EPI Council and as EPI President for a number of years, it appears that we need to continue to improve our input into the various bodies of the EPO, in particular its Admin. Council, Committee on Patent Law and Budget and Finance Committee and strengthen the links between EPI and CIPA, in particular in the areas of training and continuing education. We also need to ensure that any European Patent Litigation system is fit for purpose and that the new Regulatory regime provides a proper service at a reasonable cost. I would intend to work on all the needs if elected.