Overview
Michael is a leading Australian patent attorney recognized for his legal acumen and his technical expertise in biotechnology, and is a member of our life sciences team.
Michael’s patent expertise spans all aspects of patent practice, from drafting and prosecution through to enforcement and portfolio management. Intellectual Asset Magazine (2019) has described Michael’s ability to “draft complex biotechnology patents with ease”. Michael has also acted in several high-profile patent opposition and litigation matters concerning pharmaceuticals and genetic technologies. He is an expert in obtaining patent term extensions for patents covering pharmaceuticals.
Michael represents Australia on the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) Standing Committee for Pharma and Biotechnology. He has published widely on patent practice in biotechnology and regularly lectures on the strategic protection of IP at an Australian university.
Michael is also accredited by IP Australia as a Consultant Qualified Person, enabling him to advise on, and certify, Plant Breeder’s Rights applications.
Michael received the prestigious Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (IPTA) Institute Prize, and has been listed among the World’s Leading Patent Practitioners by Intellectual Asset Magazine for three years running (2018-20).
Michael has a Bachelor of Biotechnology with first class Honours and a PhD in biochemistry. For his post-graduate research, Michael received both the University Medal and the Dean’s Award for academic excellence. Michael has worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tuebingen, and his research has been widely published in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications and PNAS.
Michael is a member of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia, Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand, Asian Patent Attorneys Association, International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, and AusBiotech.
“By far the best patent attorney I’ve worked with”
Head of Technology Transfer, Australian University