< Back to latest news & events

Knowledge Hub

Celebrating Success – Director Promotions

December 2023

We are delighted to announce that 9 of our team have been promoted to director effective from today, 1 December 2023.

These promotions are effective from today, 1 December 2023 and recognise the outstanding contributions demonstrated by these individuals, who have played a pivotal role in the firm’s continued success.

  • Alex Colman (Manchester) has been promoted in the Engineering Group.
  • Benjamin Janutta (Dresden/Munich) has been promoted in the Electronics Group.
  • David Kim (York) has been promoted in the Electronics Group.
  • Emma Wilkinson (Leeds) has been promoted in the Learning & Development Team.
  • Guy Towlson (Leeds) has been promoted in the Engineering Group.
  • Jen Unsworth (Birmingham/Newcastle) has been promoted in the Engineering Group.
  • Julia Saladin (Munich) has been promoted in the Trade Marks Group.
  • Robert Walton (Birmingham) has been promoted in the Engineering Group.
  • Sean McDonagh (London) has been promoted in the Trade Marks Group

We congratulate them all on their well-deserved promotions.

 

Latest updates

Unlocking the Soil Microbiome: Driving Agritech Innovation in the UK

The UK offers an ideal platform for harnessing the untapped potential of soil and plant microorganisms. Although much of my professional experience has focused on the human microbiome, I have …

Read article

The Antibody Series #2 | Definition via binding strength in antibody claims: when “binds strongly... but only minimally...” becomes a trap of lack of clarity

Introduction Defining an antibody by its binding strength is common practice in patent claims, but it can quickly become a pitfall under Article 84 EPC on clarity. In this second …

Read article

The Antibody Series #1 | Quality Characteristics (CQAs) in Antibody Claims: When the Test Method Can Remain Outside the Claim

Introduction Therapeutic antibodies are at the heart of innovations in biotechnology and healthcare. With increasing regulatory requirements and quality expectations, critical quality attributes (CQAs) are becoming essential in the drafting …

Read article
Event - 3rd February 2026

HGF Brand & Design Conference 2026

Join us on 3rd February 2026 for HGF’s Brand & Design Conference, the must attend event for in-house legal teams, brand leaders, creatives, and innovators shaping the future of IP. …

Event details

Empowered, Not Replaced: The Risks and Rewards of Using AI Tools in Patent Prosecution

With the rapid rise of AI and extreme hype around generative AI tools in the workplace, patent firms around the world have had to seriously consider to what extent they …

Read article

EU Agrees on NGT Plant Regulation: What It Means for Patents and Licensing

The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement for plants developed using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) – below we summarise the main points and set out the requirements …

Read article

When Retail Branding Meets Politics

(Inter IKEA Systems v Algemeen Vlaams Belang (Case C‑298/23) In November 2022, the Flemish political party Vlaams Belang presented its “IKEA-PLAN – Immigratie Kan Echt Anders” (“Immigration Really Can Be Different”). …

Read article

Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026

HGF Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026   UK Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 CLOSED Thursday 1 January 2026* CLOSED * Friday 2 January 2026 – …

Read article
See all updates