Supporting technological innovation and IP
Opposition
Advocacy
Workshop
Presented by TTN and Oxon IP
Patent Opposition is a uniquely complex and demanding discipline that requires highly specialised expertise and advocacy skills.
Trusted Technology Network (TTN) and Oxon IP are delighted to offer an in-depth training workshop to equip European Patent Attorneys with an understanding of the key aspects of Opposition Oral Proceedings at the European Patent Office (EPO).
Limited to a maximum of ten participants, the workshop structure sees an exceptionally low coach/participant ratio, allowing an unparalleled opportunity for discussion and to benefit from the in-depth knowledge and experience of the coaches.
Who is it for?
Our workshop is intended for European Patent Attorneys with limited EPO Opposition Oral Proceedings experience who are looking to fast-track their ability in this area.
The coaches
Graham Ashley
Graham Ashley is a former chairman of a mechanics Board of Appeal and member of the Enlarged Board of Appeal. He has a background in metallurgy and holds a PhD in corrosion science from Cambridge. He qualified as a barrister in 1996 and was a member of the committee for the European Qualifying Examination for patent attorneys (C-Paper: Opposition). He is currently involved in training national judges in patent law and was recently appointed as a part-time technical judge in the Unified Patent Court.
Leythem Wall
Leythem Wall is the Director of Oxon IP. He is a European and UK patent attorney and litigator, specialising in EPO Oppositions and Appeals in the chemical, consumer products, energy, material, medical, pharmaceutical and tobacco sectors. Prior to founding Oxon IP, he was a partner in major European and US Intellectual Property law firms, and before that in-house patent counsel for ExxonMobil and AkzoNobel. Leythem studied chemistry at Oxford University, holds a certificate in IP Litigation and Advocacy from Nottingham Law School, and a Diploma in European Patent Litigation from the University of Strasbourg.
Richard Ash
Richard Ash recently retired after spending 39 years at the EPO and has been involved in hundreds of opposition cases. Richard has a wealth of experience as first examiner, second examiner and chair in opposition work at the EPO. From 2017 to 2022, as a director specialising in opposition proceedings, he chaired 40 to 50 opposition cases per year, trained examiners in opposition work and was active in the transition of oral proceedings from face-to-face to video conference hearings.
Grant Philpott
Grant Philpott completed 32 years at the European Patent Office in the operational patent grant area, starting as an examiner and culminating as Chief Operating Officer. He chaired opposition proceedings in both mechanics and industrial chemistry and was a member of the committee for the European Qualifying Examination for patent attorneys (A+B Papers: Drafting and Replying). He studied engineering at Cambridge University and is a founder director of TTN.
Franco Cordera
Franco Cordera spent 35 years at the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich, first as an examiner in telecoms and then as a director in the field of video and multimedia technology. During his time at the EPO he acted as first member and chairman of many opposition divisions and has also served as a lecturer for the International Patent Academy. Additional responsibilities included training, coaching and the development of scripts and training material for new examiners.
About the workshop
Prior to the workshop:
Participants will engage in two, three-hour online meetings as well as one, two-hour face-to-face meeting the day before the workshop.
Online meeting one: Our five coaches deliver modules on topics such as advocacy and the EPO Opposition environment, as well as introducing the case itself.
Online meeting two: Participants prepare their argumentation with coach guidance, then meet their coach during the afternoon or evening prior to the workshop to finalise their preparation.
On the day:
Participants take part in a mock Oral Proceedings before former EPO Opposition Division and Board of Appeal members, based on a simulated case suitable for all technical disciplines.
As the case unfolds, they will prepare, present and analyse proprietor and opponent arguments during interactive sessions, interspersed with presentations and discussion of key topics such as inventive step, prior use, clarity, auxiliary requests, late-filing and admissibility. One-to-one feedback and advice will be provided with respect to their own interventions.