Tom Furnival

Tom handles a wide range of patent work, including original drafting, prosecution and opposition, particularly defensive oppositions, in the engineering, electronics, computing and physics fields.  He also advises on Freedom-to-Operate, infringement issues and registered designs.

Areas of Expertise

• Photonics
• Optical devices and laser design, including optronics and detection technology
• Telecommunication systems
• Semiconductor devices and fabrication
• Medical devices, including augmented reality systems for surgical assistance
• Power supplies and power management
• Computer hardware and software
• Bioinformatics
• Machine learning/ artificial intelligence

Clients

Tom works with a mix of multinationals, start-ups, individual applicants and foreign attorneys. These are predominantly UK based, and in the high tech/ mechanical engineering spheres.

Background

He has a Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Exeter. He undertook two years of research into the solid-state theory of Memristors, before joining Mewburn Ellis LLP in 2013. He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017 and a Chartered Patent Attorney in 2018. He joined the partnership in 2022.

Opposition highlights

Tom has worked on multiple oppositions across the engineering sector. Some examples include:

EP2973098,T2278/22: An offensive opposition for Roche to knock out a patent directed to certifying users for point of care devices. Our legal team were successful in the revocation of the patent.

EP2689983, T2265: Tom and a colleague acted for Hitachi in a defensive opposition for technology underpinning the Azuma trains. It was maintained as granted in first instance and maintained as amended in appeal, covering all commercially useful applications of the technology.

EP2186107: Our legal team acted for EMA Electromechanics in a defensive opposition, the opposition was withdrawn but EPO proceeded on their own volition. The patent was maintained as granted.

EP2671748, Hitachi v three others (Siemens, Bombardier, Alstrom): Defensive opposition to technology underpinning the Azuma trains (in use from KGX and PAD). It was maintained as granted in first instance and maintained as amended in appeal, covering all commercially useful applications of the technology.   

Recommendations

Tom is a recommended prosecution individual from IAM Patent 1000.

“Tom is an essential guide through the patent process. He manages to be exceptionally knowledgeable about the intricacies of patent law but also can get into the depths of the technical detail of the core scientific concepts.” - IAM Patent 1000 2023