Rebecca Blundell

Rebecca is a UK & European patent attorney specialising in the chemistry and materials fields. She works at all stages of the patent lifecycle including invention capture, drafting, prosecution, and opposition proceedings. 

Rebecca has extensive experience in handling contentious patent proceedings including preparing invalidity opinions, third party observations and opposition & appeals before the EPO.  Recognised for her proactive approach, she conducts thorough early-stage analysis to identify the strongest arguments. Rebecca is skilled in producing high-quality written and oral submissions and leverages large-scale data analysis along with in-depth searches to uncover creative avenues for challenging patent validity. 

Her clients include multinational chemical and materials companies and fast-moving consumer goods organisations across the UK, Europe, and globally. 

Exceptional client care is a priority for Rebecca. She fosters strong client relationships, building trust and collaborating closely, taking a “we’re in this together” approach.  Rebecca takes the time to understand her clients' commercial realities and business context to deliver bespoke, relevant and valuable advice, adding depth and confidence to Mewburn Ellis’s service offering, elevating our already industry-leading levels of client care. 

Rebecca is passionate about advancements in green polymer materials. She has written several articles on this topic, reflecting her keen interest in emerging technologies. 

EPO Oppositions expertise

Rebecca has been involved in numerous successful opposition proceedings.  Notable cases include:

Offensive Oppositions

EP3214957, T1696/21: Imperial Tobacco Limited and JT International S.A and Schlich, George William and Plate Schweitzer Zounek vs Nicoventures Trading Limited. Successful revocation of this patent relating to liquid formulations for use in electronic smoking substitute device.

EP3491941: Philip Morris Products S.A and Nerudia Limited and Plate Schweitzer Zounek vs Nicoventures Trading Limited. Patent revoked – following issuance of the preliminary opinion in our client’s favour the Proprietor stated they no longer approved the text in which the patent was granted, thereby terminating opposition proceedings. 

EP3360600: Scott Bader Company Limited vs Inolex Investment Corporation. Achieved a narrowed claim scope for this patent relating to silicone replacements for use in personal care formulations.

Defensive Oppositions

EP3275624: Treofan Germany GmbH & Co. KG vs Toray Industries, Inc. Successful defence of this patent relating to a biaxially oriented polypropylene film for a capacitor.

EP3438655:  bioMérieux vs Shimadzu Corporation. Successful defence of this patent relating to the identification of serovars of Salmonella genus bacteria by mass spectrometry.

EP3438274: bioMérieux vs Shimadzu Corporation. Successful defence of this patent relating to the identification of bacterial species of the genus Campylobacter by mass spectrometry.

Qualifications and technical background

Rebecca has an MSci degree (2012) and PhD (2016) in chemistry both from the University of Nottingham. Her PhD focussed on using ultra-high vacuum spectroscopic techniques for the surface characterisation of ionic liquids. During her undergraduate degree, Rebecca received six awards for distinguished performance in Chemistry including, in her final year, the BP Prize for most outstanding final year undergraduate and the King Memorial Prize in Organic Chemistry for outstanding laboratory work.  

Professional Career

Rebecca joined Mewburn Ellis in 2016 and qualified as a UK Chartered Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney in 2021. Also in 2021 Rebecca was awarded the Intellectual Property Litigation Certificate under the IPReg Rules. Rebecca is authorised to represent clients at the UPC.

Since joining Mewburn Ellis Rebecca has taken on an active role in the recruitment and development of the firms next generation attorneys. She, along with Head of Chemistry Jeremy Webster, interviews applicants for graduate entry level trainee patent attorney positions. Additionally, Rebecca is involved in Mewburn Ellis's highly regarded graduate induction programme – delivering sessions on Patentability Principles to new starters.

Memberships and Affiliations

Rebecca is a member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). She is also a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.