Article 84 EPC

Graham Ashley

Graham was formerly chairman of an EPO board of appeal in mechanics, chairing over 500 cases in a wide range of general technology, such as the building/construction industry, oil exploration, weapons, metal processing, furniture and sanitary equipment (somebody has to do the toilets).

His background is metallurgy and has a PhD in electrochemistry from Cambridge. In 1996 he was called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn), but moved straight away to the EPO in Munich to work as a patent examiner.

He was a member of the committee for the European Qualifying Examination (C – Paper: Opposition), and was responsible for drafting one of the exam papers.

He regularly gives talks and presentations on EPO case law and procedures, most recently on inventive step, clarity and the work of the boards of appeal. He was also involved with the training of new members of the boards of appeal. He advises on presenting cases at oral proceedings before the EPO, in particular he is involved in CIPA and EPI workshops on training patent attorneys, and contributes to mock hearings concerning individual cases.