Keltie

Firm overview:

From five offices across the UK and Ireland, Keltie serves a great breadth of clients, from startups that need guiding through the whole patent proces to global brands with established procedures in place. Keltie was the first UK firm to establish an office in Ireland to support clients post-Brexit, and has particular expertise in the automotive, energy, biotech and AI industries.

Described by an industry counterpart as “experienced and dynamic”, the firm has a strong non-contentious practice, filing patent applications relating to AI for the likes of Deloitte and KPMG, and maintaining a longstanding relationship with Mastercard. The practice advises on everything from patent strategy and freedom-to-operate to due diligence in complex deals and is developing its IP consultancy services, working closely with clients to develop and commercialise their IP assets.

Attorneys also support clients in patent enforcement efforts and contentious matters, including a number who particularly excel in opposition and appeal proceedings before the patent offices.

Team overview:

Keltie’s patent team operates out of its offices in London, Cambridge and the Cotswolds. Fifteen partners and a further 29 lawyers have a significant practice in the area.

A peer says Keltie is “a really great team that’s very professional” and appreciates that the whole team is present at meetings, which strengthens their relationship so that the firm acts like an extension of their in-house team.

Partner Mark Richardson is part of the IT, Telecoms and Electronics team, as well as a member of the AI and Quantum Technologies group, and described by a peer as “knowledgeable, responsive, and sensitive to our clients’ needs”. Richardson is noted for his vast wealth of experience and ability to remain calm under pressure.

Elsewhere, partner Sean Cummings, who established the firm’s Galway office, is recognised for his ability to grasp multiple technologies and his skill in drafting patent applications.

Other key team members include Laura Kehoe, a partner in the Life Sciences and Chemistry team, who has extensive experience working with early-stage companies, spinouts and SMEs, as well as managing the global portfolios for some of the firm’s key corporate clients.

Partners Michael Moore and Devanand Crease are among the firm’s best attorneys for representing clients in oppositions and appeals.

Keltie’s approach of giving clients access to the entire team is evident in one client’s commendation of paralegal Simon Rogers, noted for his crucial role in handling day-to-day operations.

Key matters:

• Patent drafting, portfolio and strategic advice—Exscientia

The team provides patent drafting, portfolio and strategic advice to AI drug development company Recursion, which recently merged with Exscientia AI.

In addition to helping identify inventions and drafting and prosecuting patent applications, the team provides advice on competitor activity, patent and trade secret strategy, freedom to operate and patent licensing.

Partners Michael Moore and Colin Paterson, and associate Daniel Sanz Sharley, are key contacts for the matter.

• UK and US patent applications—NEOM

Keltie has filed and prosecuted multiple UK and US patent applications for different business units comprising NEOM, a major new planned development being built in Saudi Arabia.

The applications cover technologies in the areas of robotics, organisation security and other areas.

Leading on the matter are partners Shakeel Ahmad, Kimberly Bayliss, Laura Kehoe.

• EPO appeal—Celyad Oncology

The team acted for Celyad Oncology in an appeal proceeding filed at the EPO regarding one of its key patents, successfully defending the patent resulting in the appeal being dismissed.

Celyad’s patent was titled ‘Anti-b7-h6 antibody, fusion proteins, and methods of using the same’.

Partners Jonathan Goodacre and Dev Crease were on the winning team at Keltie.

• Patent filing, oppositions and appeals—Bio-Rad Laboratories

Keltie is advising life sciences research and clinical diagnostic company Bio-Rad Laboratories on patent filing as well as EPO opposition and appeal proceedings.

The team’s advice encompasses invention harvesting, patent drafting, prosecution of patent applications and strategic advice to Bio-Rad legal and research teams in a number of countries.

Clients:

Auto Telematics, Bio-Rad, Boomcloud 360, Celyad Oncology, CNH, Crown, Deloitte MCS, Exscientia/Recursion, Groq, Group Lotus, Hinge Health, Intelligent Energy, I R Kinetics, KPMG, Mastercard, NBCUniversal, NEOM, Nissan Technical Centre Europe, PHINIA, Swarovski, Vestas Wind Systems, Vivo Barefoot, Zoom Communications