Mr Mrs Miss Ms Dr Other

Ms
Vanessa
Stainthorpe

Partner & Patent Attorney

Sheffield Office Nottingham Office

Technology & Engineering

Telephone. +44(0) 114 274 3700
Mobile. +44(0) 754 518 9436
Email. vstainthorpe@hgf.com
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Experience

Vanessa has nearly 30 years' experience in the patent field. She has a talent for building long-term trusted relationships with clients having IP portfolios at all stages of development, from start-up companies to global corporations with complex interrelated patent cases, always providing commercially focussed and proactive advice.

Vanessa enjoys working as closely with clients as an in-house advisor would, enabling her to create, implement and pursue tailored patent strategies that are aligned with the particular client’s commercial and strategic plans.

Vanessa leads HGF's medical devices team and has substantial experience of drafting and prosecuting patents with medtech and healthcare subject matter. She has particular knowledge of drug delivery devices including autoinjectors and syringes, from several years working with a global pharmaceutical company. Vanessa also has extensive experience of spinal and other orthopaedic instruments and all aspects of dental, knee and hip implants. Other areas of experience include fracture fixators, ventilators, EEG systems, ophthalmic technology, cardiovascular stents and catheters.

In addition to medical devices, her other areas of expertise include advanced manufacturing, food technology and energy technology including gas, water and electricity infrastructure.

With a keen interest in improving diversity and inclusion, Vanessa has been active in the UK profession-wide IP Inclusive initiative since its inception, leading its North of England network and was appointed to the IP Inclusive Advisory Board in 2021. Vanessa was elected to the Board of HGF in August 2020 and is HGF’s Board Sponsor for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

Specialisms

Industries

Services

Qualifications

Patent Attorney

Chartered (UK)
Europe

BENG

Electronic Engineering

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE

Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (University of London)

Recognition

World IP Review - Influential Women in IP 2021

Named and interviewed in #WIPRDiversity21 as one of @WorldIPReview's Influential Women in IP in 2021. Vanessa Stainthorpe has more than 25 years of experience as a patent attorney and has been a board member for HGF since August 2020. She specialises in patent filing, prosecution and strategic IP advice in the mechanical engineering field with a particular specialism in medical technology. She leads HGF’s medical devices team and this year, she spoke at HGF’s annual IP in Healthcare conference and at its Child Health Technology event. She is heavily involved in IP Inclusive, which aims to improve D&I in IP, ensuring that HGF was one of the early signatories to the organisation’s charter. She set up and led the IP Inclusive North of England network, providing support to professionals across the region. She organised and hosted an “Allies” event to support D&I in June 2020 and presented follow up Q&A videos.

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World IP Review - 2022 Leaders

Profiled as one of @WorldIPReview's Patent Leaders 2022 Vanessa Stainthorpe has over 25 years’ experience in the patent field. She has a talent for building long-term relationships with clients having IP portfolios at all stages of development, from start-up companies to global corporations with complex interrelated patent cases.

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IAM Patent 1000 2022 - Recommended Individual

As one of the fastest-growing patent prosecution practices in Europe and one of the most oft seen in proceedings before the EPO, HGF is a solid choice for those who want a strategy that will protect their rights continent- and world-wide. Heading up the engineering group, meanwhile, is Lucy Johnson, while Vanessa Stainthorpe is head of medical devices – Johnson has been managing patent portfolios for 20 years both in private practice and in-house, and Stainthorpe nurtures medtech companies from start-up to multinational corporation.

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World IP Review Diversity Champion 2022

With more than 25 years of experience in the patent field, Vanessa Stainthorpe currently serves as partner and head of HGF’s medical devices team. In August 2020, Stainthorpe was elected to HGF’s board and now serves as a board sponsor for D&I. Stainthorpe leads the firm’s D&I focus group and has been a member of IP Inclusive since its inception. She leads IP Inclusive’s North of England network and was appointed to the initiative’s advisory board in 2021.

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Publications

HGF receives exceptional results in IAM Patent 1000 rankings 2025

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IAM Patent 1000 2024

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IAM Patent 1000 2022

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Fast track or slow lane: Patent strategy or IP cost control?

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HGF continue to be highly ranked in The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2020 rankings

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IP Inclusive North of England 2020 Report

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WIPR Diversity 2021 - Driving cultural change

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Conferences: 2023

17th January 2023

CIPA Webinar: Enhancing Diversity in the Patent Profession How Can I Help

Speaker

Event details

Conferences: 2022

11-05-2022

Child Health Technology 2022

Attended

Event details

16-03-2022

Medical Technology UK 2022 - Women in MedTech Forum

Attended

Event details

Conferences: 2021

16-11-2021

This Can Happen 2021

Attended

Event details

24-06-2021

WSGR Medical Device Conference 2021

Attended

Event details

26-05-2021

Hybrid Health - Houston Methodist and the Texas Medical Center (TMC)

Attended

Event details

26th April 2021

Sheffield Hallam University - AWRC Wellbeing Accelerator

Speaker

Event details

2nd March 2021

Child Health Technology Conference 2021

Speaker

Event details

14th January 2021

HGF IP in Healthcare Virtual Conference 2021

Speaker

Event details

Conferences: 2020

3rd March 2020

IP in Healthcare Conference 2020

Speaker

Event details

27th January 2020

Arab Health 2020 - Dubai

Attended

Event details

Conferences: 2019

28th January 2019

Arab Health 2019 - Dubai

Attended

Event details

CSR

Vanessa is a mentor for the AWRC Wellbeing Accelerator and is also a mentor for the P4 Precision Medicine Accelerator.

Vanessa is HGF’s Board Sponsor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and is responsible for HGF’s involvement in IP Inclusive, which is a network of intellectual property professionals working to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in our community. Vanessa is on the Advisory Board of IP Inclusive Management, is the lead for IP Inclusive’s North of England network and was one of the first signatories to the IP Inclusive Senior Leaders’ Pledge. Vanessa is a trained Mental Health First Aider.

Related News

IAM Patent 1000 2023

IAM Patent 1000 the world’s leading patent professionals 2023 guide has now been published and we are delighted to have 31 attorneys recognised as world-class individuals in the guide. The …

Read article
Event - 17th January 2023

CIPA Webinar: Enhancing Diversity in the Patent Profession How Can I Help

CIPA hosted a webinar to discuss ‘Enhancing diversity in the patent profession.’ Date Tuesday 17 January, 2023 Time 12.30pm – 1.30pm (GMT) Equity, diversity and inclusion has been in the …

Event details
Event - 26th April 2021

Sheffield Hallam University - AWRC Wellbeing Accelerator

The AWRC Wellbeing Accelerator supports start-ups, academics and businesses working in wellbeing with mentoring, sector expertise and specialist facilities. HGF Partner Vanessa Stainthorpe will be running a workshop on 26th April. She …

Event details
Event - 2nd March 2021

Child Health Technology Conference 2021

HGF is a silver sponsor at the Children Health Technology (CHT) Conference 2021. CHT 2021 will bring together healthcare professionals, industry experts, engineers, designers, academics, and patient representatives around one …

Event details
Event - 14th January 2021

HGF IP in Healthcare Virtual Conference 2021

In 2021, HGF’s IP in Healthcare Conference will be delivered virtually through a series of webinars across January, February and March. The webinars will review the latest IP and related …

Event details
Event - 3rd March 2020

IP in Healthcare Conference 2020

March 2020 in London and Manchester. HGF’s sixth annual Healthcare Conference reviews the latest intellectual property issues in the pharmaceuticals, life sciences and medical devices sectors. Update It is with …

Event details
Event - 27th January 2020

Arab Health 2020 - Dubai

HGF will be exhibiting at Arab Health 27th – 30th Jan 2020 in Dubai. Arab Health is the largest gathering of healthcare and trade professionals in the MENA (Middle East, …

Event details
Event - 28th January 2019

Arab Health 2019 - Dubai

HGF will be exhibiting at Arab Health 28th – 31st Jan 2019 in Dubai, Arab Health is the largest gathering of healthcare and trade professionals in the MENA (Middle East, …

Event details
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