Videoconference Oral Proceedings with the EPO Boards of Appeal

James Ford, Abel + Imray

James is a Partner at Abel + Imray. He has been in the profession for 20 years, and still thinks this is the best job in town. He loves opposition work and handles cases in the engineering field. He successfully invalidated EP patents in the Virgin vs Contour dispute, he handles all opposition work in Airbus’ winglet portfolio, and he is currently handling a series of high-value oppositions for Ocado Innovation.

James Pickford, Proctor & Gamble

James Pickford, Director and Assistant General Counsel at Procter and Gamble (P&G), is a qualified UK and European Patent Attorney and a Fellow of CIPA.  James provides global Patent and Design support to the P&G fabric and home care business which includes well-known brands such as Tide, Downy, Ariel, Fairy, Gain, Bold and Lenor, and leads the global Patent and Design support for the P&G Pods business (e.g Ariel Pods).  James has worked for P&G for 11 years, starting first in Brussels, Belgium and now working in Newcastle, UK.  Prior to starting at P&G, James completed a Diploma in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Manchester (UK), a PhD at the University of Sheffield (UK) in Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry, and an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Manchester (UK).

Jim Denness, Abel + Imray

Before joining Abel + Imray he spent 21 months as Research Assistant at the University of Durham, preparing novel polyether electrolyte materials for Li-ion batteries, and 3 years as Senior Research Chemist in industry working in the areas of natural polymers, polymer synthesis including solution, emulsion and suspension polymerisation of acrylate and methacrylate polymers, and a range of industrial applications of water-soluble polymers including paper making, construction, oilfield, water treatment, detergents and cosmetics. Jim is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Jim is involved in patent work mainly in the chemical field, with special expertise in polymer technology, inks, petrochemicals, catalysis, lubricants, polyolefins, polyolefin films, reactor technologies (especially fluid bed reactors and loop reactors), zeolites and supported organometallic catalysts. He has a long-standing interest in battery technology. He is very experienced in patent prosecution work in the European Patent Office, as well as in the UK and overseas. Jim additionally has a significant case load of opposition and appeal work at the European Patent Office, including high value cases with related national litigation, and leads Abel + Imray’s opposition group.