Murgitroyd Growth Spurs New Appointments

Global IP attorneys Murgitroyd today announced internal appointments that will provide even stronger client support as the firm continues to grow.

Already one of the largest global patent and trade mark attorney firms in Europe, Murgitroyd has 13 European offices and 2 in the United States. It provides cross-sectoral expertise in engineering, ICT, software, oil and gas, renewable energy, life sciences, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, financial and professional services, fashion, music and entertainment.

As the company enters its fifth decade in business, it is preparing to grow even further. To do so, says CEO Ed Murgitroyd, requires an ongoing focus on practice excellence.

“We want to streamline our operations so we can improve each area of expertise even further,” he said. “That is why we have appointed five of our brightest and best people as Practice Group Leaders to enhance our longstanding Practice Group structure which focuses on providing targeted services in particular sectors.”

“Our goal is continuous improvement – improvement in our practice and in the services we can offer our clients.”

The five Practice Group Leaders and their respective groups are:

• Graham Murnane, Patents - Engineering and Energy
• Guido Zerbi, Patents - Electronics and Software
• Russell Thom, Patents - Chemistry and Life Sciences
• Mark Hickey, Trade Marks
• David Louis, Client Support Services

All five Group Leaders previously held roles at Murgitroyd, operating at Director level.

“I congratulate all the new Practice Group Leaders on their appointments, and I’m excited about the qualities they will bring to their new roles,” said Ed Murgitroyd. “All of them have many years of sector experience, and each has proven he can deliver results for our clients.

“I look forward to continuing to work with them to keep Murgitroyd growing and developing as we enter our next decade.”

Notes to editors

Graham Murnane joined Murgitroyd in 1996. His 25 years of experience in intellectual property include working as an examiner and member of the Oppositions and Appeals Division at the European Patent Office. A qualified UK and European Patent Attorney, Graham helped establish Murgitroyd's Munich base. He has particular experience of client support in patent opposition and litigation matters.

Guido Zerbi has headed up Murgitroyd's Milan office since it was founded in 2007. He spent 17 years as an in-house IP attorney with IBM, and he specialises in computer-implemented inventions. Guido is a qualified Italian and European Patent Attorney.

Russell Thom’s background is in medical biochemistry. A qualified UK and European Patent Attorney, he heads up Murgitroyd’s Edinburgh office. He has extensive experience in working with universities and high-growth biotechnology companies, and counts a number of global corporates among his clients.

Mark Hickey is a qualified UK and European Trade Mark Attorney. He has more than 25 years of experience in advising some of the world's leading brand owners, including the UK's largest pharmaceutical company. He heads up Croydon, Murgitroyd’s largest London office. Mark was formerly a partner with London firm Castles, which Murgitroyd acquired in 2005.

David Louis is experienced in implementing new procedures. He has managed Murgitroyd’s renewals and patent validations operations, streamlining a number of departmental processes for a more efficient service. He has also worked to implement system enhancements across the firm as a whole, particularly with regard to large-scale portfolio takeovers. His work has helped the firm win several new contracts.

For more information about the Practice Group Leaders:murgitroyd.com/peopleMurgitroydFiona McKenzie, [phone]European Marketing [e-mail]