Ing.
Alastair
Blake

Experience

Alastair has a broad technical, commercial and legal background, ensuring an appreciation of the bigger picture, whilst maintaining a keen eye for detail.

Prior to entering the patent profession, Alastair spent a decade in R&D in the UK and the Netherlands, in fields ranging from offshore engineering to domestic appliances - including literally "splitting hairs" at Philips (under a SEM microscope). Having worked for multinationals, start-ups and in-between, Alastair has a good appreciation of business and always strives to ensure IP strategy matches clients' commercial activities.

After a further decade working as a patent attorney, Alastair has developed a quick grasp of diverse engineering technologies and has particular experience of coordinating protection and enforcement of global portfolios.

As well as utility patents, Alastair also has very useful experience and knowledge of registered designs ("design patents"). Design protection of the visual appearance of products can often complement functional patent protection; or provide an alternative deterrent or enforcement strategy.

Reflecting his affection for language in general, Alastair is unusually fluent in Dutch.