Mr Mrs Miss Ms Dr Other

Mr
Chris
Vaughan

Senior Partner

Leeds Office

Engineering

Telephone. +44(0) 113 233 0100
Mobile. +44(0) 779 875 7925
Email. [email protected]
UPC Representative
Our team of specialist European patent litigators, oppositions specialists and patent attorneys bring together an extensive depth of legal and technical knowledge and are qualified to represent you in the UPC.
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Experience

Much of Chris’ practice involves working closely with SMEs, often born out of promising academic research by major UK universities, helping them to develop effective intellectual property strategies and secure multi-million pound investments. He also works with in-house patent attorneys and senior executives at major multinationals, and has expertise in worldwide patent prosecution.

Chris has particular experience in relation to fuel cell technologies, mobile phone antennas, metal coatings, oil and gas exploration, medical devices, civil engineering, electronic article surveillance and endoscopy.

After taking his first degree in natural sciences and a postgraduate diploma in computer science at Christ’s College Cambridge, Chris entered the profession directly in 1991, training with a large private practice firm in London. He qualified in 1995, and joined HGF as a partner in 1999.

Chris is fluent in German, and is experienced in acting before the Opposition and Appeal Divisions of the European Patent Office in Munich.

Chris heads the Engineering team in HGF's Leeds office, and serves as Chair of HGF's Conflicts Committee.

Specialisms

Industries

Services

Qualifications

Patent Attorney

Chartered (UK)
Europe

MA

Natural Sciences (Cantab)

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE

Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science (Cantab)

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE

Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (London)

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE

Intellectual Property Litigation Certificate

Recognition

"Best for SME IP Strategy - UK", Acquisition International Awards 2015

"UK – Niche Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year (Academic Spin-Off)", ACQ5 Global Awards 2019

"UK – SME Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year", ACQ5 Global Awards 2020

CSR

Chris regularly leads tutorials, both in-house and externally, for trainee patent attorneys preparing for UK and European qualifying examinations.

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The Strawberry Patent Battle: Seeds, Speculation, and Jurisdiction

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Event - 3rd June 2025

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Young companies make many important decisions during the start-up phase. One of the most important questions is: How do I deal strategically with innovations, ideas, and brand development? Those who …

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European Innovation Remains Strong: The EPO Patent Index 2024

The Patent Index 2024, recently published by the European Patent Office (EPO), provides a rich dataset from which key patent trends can be identified. The data shows that demand for …

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A £2.1M Lesson: The Power of Confidential Information

A recent High Court ruling1 serves as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting confidential business information. Hambro Perks, was found guilty of breaching confidentiality and ordered to pay …

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Protecting inventions in Europe and beyond

A patent is  a form of registered intellectual property right granted for new, inventive and industrially applicable inventions. Patents are monopoly rights that  allow their owners (or licensees) the right …

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Event - 18th March 2025

Salzburg Seminar: Pitfalls in trade mark practice - What can be protected as a trade mark?

The registration of trade marks is a central component of trade mark protection – but which signs can actually be protected? In recent years, the national trade mark offices and …

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Innovation protection recovery begins in the Aircraft Engine Sector

With patent filing data for 2022 now available, we follow up our January 2023 article with an IP review update for the major players in the aircraft engine sector. Filing …

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Can Patent Box Help Keep The Lights On?

The UK energy sector is undergoing a transformative shift, with innovations in renewable energy, carbon capture, and advanced drilling technologies driving progress. Patent Box, a tax relief scheme introduced in …

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If you would like to discuss how HGF could help you, contact one of our IP specialists.

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