E-TEAM

EUROPEAN OPPOSITION & APPEALS TEAM

Opposition proceedings at the European Patent Office are an essential element of any European Patent ("EPO") strategy and should be pursued with the appropriate priority and not simply as an extension of the prosecution process. To this end, we have a fully operational office near the EPO in Munich and an established Opposition and Appeal Team (the "E-Team"). The E-Team specialises in co-ordinating such oral proceedings and makes use of effective project management tools,including checklists, to improve both their efficiency and effectiveness.

The E-Team's existence reflects the fact that more and more invalidity matters are being settled in the EPO rather than in the national courts of European Patent Convention member States.

The E-Team is headed up by Graham Murnane - Graham spent five years at the EPO as an Examiner and sat on Opposition Boards and is one of our senior Attorneys and a Director of Murgitroyd & Company.