Thomas Lonsdale

Tom is a patent attorney with experience in drafting and prosecution of patent applications for a range of European and international clients in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceuticals and materials.

He has a keen interest in green polymers and sustainability and has worked extensively with the sustainability network Oxfordshire Greentech, helping to head up their Circular Economy Special Interests Group. Tom has written articles for trade publications in this field (see Circular economy: rethinking composite plastic packaging), as well as contributing blogs to our website focusing on green alternatives to conventional polymers (see Plastics from thin air – converting captured carbon dioxide and Compostable packaging – let’s break it down). He is a member of the sustainability group at Mewburn Ellis. 

Tom is able to assist clients over the entire lifecycle of their patents from patent preparation, through prosecution to opposition and appeal proceedings. He is also able to assist with FTO. 

Areas of Expertise

• Polymers in particular polymer recycling and green alternative to conventional polymers;
• Graphene technologies and applications;
• Pharmaceuticals, with a particular focus on new formulations and crystalline forms;
• Animal health, in particular assessment of freedom to operate in this space. 

Clients

Tom works with a wide range of clients ranging from UK based SME’s to multinational pharmaceutical firms. He also works for UK academic clients and handles agency work coming in from Japan.

Background

Tom has a first class degree in Chemistry from the University of Oxford, during which he carried out a year-long research project at the Humboldt University in Berlin. He holds a doctorate also from the University of Oxford in which he specialised in hydrogen driven biocatalysis, in particular focusing on cleaner methods for carrying out asymmetric reduction reactions. 

Tom joined Mewburn Ellis in 2020 from a German based patent attorney firm. He qualified as a European patent attorney in 2021 and UK patent attorney in 2024.

Tom also has a Post Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property from Bournemouth University, which he passed with a distinction.  Tom is fluent in both English and German.