HGF is the fastest-growing IP firm in the North West.
We have the largest biotech team in Manchester, and our professionals' collective experience and expertise allows us to provide our clients with a winning combination of technical and commercially sound advice.
We also have a specialist trade mark team who provide practical advice on brand management and protection, an issue which is currently of paramount regional importance with the growth of Media City.
HGF Manchester is a full-service practice, with the full range of our trade mark and patents teams available alongside the IP solicitors of HGF Law. We have strong relationships within the local business community and are active members of Bionow, Chemicals North West and Pro Manchester.
Specialist Sectors
Our HGF Manchester office can help you with any queries pertaining to trade marks, law, engineering, electronics, chemistry, life sciences, bio sciences and pharmaceuticals, as well as putting you in touch with people across the company who specialise in your specific industry.
Looking for a specific skillset, speciality or individual?
Use our ‘People Finder’ to discover the wealth of talent and skills that make up the teams at HGF. Select a speciality or search for a team member by name, and use their ‘Contact Card’ to get in touch.
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Dr Laurence Gainey Patent Director
Laurence is a highly-experienced commercially-minded European and UK qualified patent attorney with over 20 years’ experience handling pharmaceutical and biotechnology subject matter, with a specialism and interest in large-molecules (biologics) and personalised healthcare (PHC). Laurence joined HGF’s Manchester office as a Patent Director in September 2017.
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Matthew Johnson Patent Director
Matthew joined the HGF Manchester office as a Patent Attorney in March 2016.
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Punita Shah Patent Director
Specialising in the fields of biotechnology and chemistry, Punita has a broad range of experience, handling subject matter including novel genes and peptides, genetic based therapies and diagnostics, and point of care assays and devices.
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Dr Paul Banford Consultant
Paul’s practice covers a wide range of life science technology clients, ranging from start-ups to multinationals. He provides his clients with proactive, strategic advice and a significant proportion of his time is spent assisting start-ups (particularly academic spin-outs) to develop the type of patent portfolios that will attract private investment and satisfy the requirements of parties to initial public offerings on stock exchanges.
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Dr Alex Colman European Patent Attorney
Alex’s experience covers a variety of subject-matter in the field of mechanical engineering. Practice areas include medical devices, automotive and aerospace technologies, engineering for construction, textiles, packaging and consumer products.
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James Doran Trainee Patent Attorney
James joined HGF in December 2014 to train as a Patent Attorney. He graduated from the University of Manchester in 2008 with a first class Master’s Degree in Chemistry.
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Dr Hannah Evans Trainee Patent Attorney
Hannah joined HGF's Manchester office in October 2017 as a Trainee Patent Attorney.
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Nathan Hinks Senior Patent Attorney
Since beginning his training as a patent attorney, much of Nathan’s work has concerned the drafting and prosecuting of patent applications across a broad spectrum of technical areas, including both chemical and mechanical disciplines. Nathan also has experience in handling oppositions as well as the restoration of patent rights across Europe.
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Dr Mike Holmes Senior Patent Attorney
Mike’s patent practice is focused in the chemical field but also extends to include mechanical and more general technical areas. In particular, he has acted for clients, ranging from start-ups and SMEs through to multinationals, in areas such as pharmaceuticals, oil additives, detergents, surface coatings, along with diagnostic equipment, automotive components, manufacturing apparatus and machinery.
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Dr Nicholas Howe Patent Attorney
Nick is a Patent Attorney specialising in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields. He joined the Manchester office of HGF in May 2017.
