Our People
Built on a foundation of great minds and experts
At HGF, we hire the best minds and make them better through strong training, communication and collaboration.
Without this firm focus on the individual strengths of our people, we would not be able to deliver successful solutions to clients from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds. HGF's people are not defined by their location; our network of lawyers, attorneys and patent specialists can integrate into any organisation's outlook, and this true flexibility has allowed us to grow to compete on a global scale.
Our experts, bolstered by our formalities and renewals teams, are always on hand to ensure clients can always access support and advice when they need it. To learn more about each team member's individual strengths in the intellectual property industry, click on any of the profiles below.
The term 'Partner' denotes a Shareholder in HGF Limited and/or member of HGF Law LLP, as the case may be.
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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Iain Armstrong Partner
Iain’s practice covers a wide range of biotechnological inventions, particularly specialising in inventions relating to the therapeutic application of biotechnology. He has experience in a number of technical fields, including wound healing, cancer therapies, vaccine development and stem cell technologies.
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Dr Jonathan Atkinson Partner
Jonathan’s practice involves providing commercially focused advice to business managers and to R&D groups on all aspects of patent strategy and portfolio management. This includes obtaining and defending patent rights, providing opinions on freedom to operate where third party intellectual property rights exist, challenging third party patent rights and conducting due diligence to support corporate acquisition and licensing deals.
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Dr Christopher Benson Partner
Chris principally handles patent matters in the areas of electronics, computer software and physics. Chris has prosecuted and advised on patents relating to electronic circuits and systems, including computer processors and semiconductor devices, computer based inventions, such as graphics processing, computer algorithms and computer communications, consumer electronics such as navigation devices and home electronics, and also carbon nanotube-based inventions.
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Andy Camenisch Partner
Andy’s specialism lies in the fields of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and chemistry and since joining the profession he has been fortunate in being exposed to a diverse range of work.
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Matthew Cassie Partner
Matt is experienced in helping start-ups, SMEs and larger corporations in the engineering, electronics and computing sectors use IP rights to fulfil their commercial objectives.
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Hsu Min Chung Partner
Hsu Min specialises in patents in the fields of chemistry, material science and pharmaceuticals. Her experience includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications in a wide range of technologies, including those relating to pharmaceuticals, catalytic processes, household products, electrochemistry, petrochemicals, osmosis, medical devices and polymers.
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Jeffrey Clarke Partner
Jeff has considerable experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the mechanical, electrical and electronic fields. Some example technical areas include: Computer architectures; Advanced digital communications (802.11xx, WiMax, 2G to 4G/LTE); Computer security technology; Encryption; Biomedical sensors; Flat panel displays (LCD/Plasma, inc. 3D display); Digital video compression; Test and measurement equipment; Domestic appliances; Navigation systems; Semiconductor manufacturing techniques (planar and 3D); Nanotubes; Medical devices.
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Duncan Coutts Partner
Duncan joined the Manchester office of HGF as a Partner of HGF Services in January 2000. He is responsible for all aspects of formalities in HGF Manchester and provides formalities support to HGF’s Glasgow office.
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Lee Curtis Partner
Lee is a Partner and Trade Mark Attorney in HGF's specialist trade mark group, having joined the Firm in November 2009. Lee has over 20 years’ experience of trade mark and design protection both in the UK and overseas, and advises on all aspects of design and trade mark protection. In July 2017, Lee qualified by examination as an Irish Trade Mark Agent and thus is qualified to act before the Irish Patents Office on trade mark and design matters.
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Alastair Da Costa Partner
Alastair joined HGF as non-executive board adviser in January 2019. He brings his extensive international board and executive level leadership experience in growing legal and professional services practices to the board of HGF. Alastair is also an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer and he has served as a director for a number of organisations.
