Graham Forrest

Graham's practice is focussed on patent drafting, prosecution, opposition and due diligence work in the life sciences sector. He is experienced in drafting and prosecuting complex multi-jurisdictional portfolios, as well as improving clients’ freedom-to-operate positions via targeted use of measures such as opposition and third party observations.

Areas of Expertise

• Peptide therapeutics
• Enzyme technology
• Protein engineering
• Immunology

Clients

Graham’s clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Europe and the US as well as a number of UK universities.

Opposition highlights

Graham has played a leading role in over 70 opposition cases at the European Patent Office.  While the majority of his opposition work has been directed to offensive oppositions, with a high success rate in achieving his client’s objectives via revocation or limitation of competitors’ patents, he also has considerable experience of successfully defending important patents against attack.  Highlights include T 1249/21 (a successful offensive case, cited in the EPO’s case law book) and T 1427/14 (defending a patent covering an approved drug molecule). 

Background

Graham has a degree in biochemistry from the University of Oxford and a PhD in molecular biology from Imperial College, London. His PhD focused on human endogenous retroviruses.

Graham joined Mewburn Ellis LLP in 1999, qualifying as a European Patent Attorney in 2003 and Charted Patent Attorney in 2004. He joined the partnership in 2006. He was awarded a Higher Courts Litigation Certificate in 2015 allowing him to conduct intellectual property litigation in all relevant courts, including the Patents Court (High Court), the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and on appeal from the Patents Court or the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.