Overview
Brendan has almost 30 years’ experience as an IP professional, with particular and extensive experience in both the biotech and chemistry sectors.
He commenced his career at IP Australia, where he spent almost five years as a Patent Examiner, before moving into private practice in 1990. He was a partner at a major Australian firm and was active in management of the firm, managing their Brisbane Office and directing professional practice within the firm.
In the 1990s Brendan spent almost three years on secondment as an IP consultant, managing CSIRO’s patent portfolio. In that role he was responsible for management of the patent portfolio of CSIRO Divisions conducting research in the life sciences, education of the company’s business managers and scientists, and other bespoke projects.
After a number of years spent at IP firms in Australia and Singapore, Brendan joined Spruson & Ferguson as Of Counsel in January 2021. He was promoted to Principal in July 2022. Brendan leverages his technical qualifications in chemistry and biotechnology to assist local and international clients in the drafting and prosecution of patent applications.
An interest in the commercialisation of technology gleaned from interactions with his clients led Brendan to become an active investor in start-up companies through the Brisbane Angels group. He also spent four years as a Board member of the Professional Standards Board (now the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board).
Brendan developed the syllabus for and delivered lectures in the patent law component of the WIPO Masters in Intellectual Property, formerly taught at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He is presently collaborating with researchers at QUT in a research project concerned with the measurement of patent scope and the use of such measurements as an indicator of innovation. He is a fellow of The Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia.