Jonathan Wills

Jonathan’s work is focussed on advanced materials and biologically active agents for medical and agricultural uses. He has extensive experience of drafting and prosecution, global portfolio management and invention capture. Jonathan is also actively involved in European opposition and appeal proceedings, with major projects defending chemical patents.

Areas of Expertise

• Polymers and advanced materials, particularly:
  • Polymerizable compositions for optical applications
  • Supramolecular complexes for holding and delivering medicinal agents
  • Innovative inks for coding, marking and printing technologies
• Pharmaceuticals, particularly:
  • Peptide-based active agents
  • Compounds for treating bacterial infections
  • New methods of treatment
• Agrochemicals and plant materials, particularly:
  • Active agents for use as insecticides and acaricides
  • Methods for isolating medicinal products from plants
• New age chemistry, particularly:
  • Use of robots and artificial intelligence in chemical design and reaction execution
  • Development of 3D printing techniques for the generation of new chemical apparatus architectures

Clients

Jonathan works with major Japanese chemical companies, including those with expertise in the agrochemical field, and those active in advanced materials, such as polymer optical .

Within the UK, Jonathan works with many Russell Group universities, and their associated spin-out and innovator firms, to identify and pursue new chemical innovations.

Jonathan’s clients also include American and Canadian pharmaceutical companies with an interest in identifying and isolating active plant materials.

Background

Jonathan has a Masters in chemistry from the University of Edinburgh, as well as a PhD from University of Cambridge, which involved the preparation of DNA binding agents and the development of polymer-supported active agents. He joined Mewburn Ellis LLP in 2004, qualifying as a Chartered Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney in 2008. Jonathan joined the partnership in 2012.

Jonathan spent several months on secondment living in Ottawa while working with a firm of Canadian patent attorneys, providing direct experience of the Canadian pharmaceutical and patent sectors. He has presented many seminars on UK and European IP practices to Canadian patent attorneys. Jonathan is a regular visitor to Canada, participating in the frequent exchanges between the patent institutes of the UK (CIPA) and Canada (IPIC).

Jonathan has also spent considerable time in Japan visiting his major Japanese clients, frequently meeting with key inventors and visiting important research sites. He has regularly lectured in Japan on European patent procedures and case law.

Jonathan is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC) and also a director for PAMIA, the mutual insurance firm that provides professional indemnity insurance for the patent and trade mark industry. Jonathan is the deputy chair of PAMIA as well as the chair of the company’s Audit & Risk committee.