Our People Seán Walton

Seán has more than 30 years’ experience in the biotech and medical patenting fields. He has successfully handled many European oppositions and appeals, representing both patentees and opponents in relation to a wide range to technologies, including many commercially valuable antibody products. He has filed and prosecuted patent applications for many high profile clients providing them with expert opinions and advice.  Seán has been involved with various matters of US and UK litigation, also USPTO interference proceedings.

Areas of Expertise

• Antibodies
• Vaccines
• Other areas of immunology
• Inflammatory disorders
• Gene cloning
• Biomarkers
• Drug screening
• Diagnostic tests
• Cancer treatments

Clients

Seán’s clients included major international, US and European companies, including large pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses. He also works with smaller, growing and start-up companies in the US, UK and Europe.

Background

Seán has a degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Cambridge. He joined Mewburn Ellis LLP in 1990, qualifying as a Chartered Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney in 1994. He joined the partnership in 1996, and became Consulting Partner in 2021.

Recommendations

Described as a ‘life sciences virtuoso’ Seán has been consistently ranked Highly Recommended for patent prosecution in IAM Patent 1000 since 2012. In 2018, he was described as “astute” and praised for his work defending five European patents in a string of EPO proceedings.

Recognised in Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Stars, 2014-2021 as an IP Star.

"Antibody and vaccine expert Walton has spent the last three decades making the difference in EPO oppositions and appeals" - IAM Patent 1000, 2021

"a safe pair of hands for EPO oppositions and appeals" - IAM Patent 1000, 2020

“...able to sidestep all manner of obstacles with ease.” - IAM Patent 1000, 2019