2018 Diversity Report

Last year, the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) completely overturned the general approach that the EPO had taken for decades in interpreting patent claims. Instead of insisting that the claims must be inherently clear and interpreted without reference to the description, in decision G1/24 the EBA decided that the description and drawings must always be ‘consulted’ to interpret the claims- and certainly when assessing patentability. Unsurprisingly, significant uncertainty remains as to how G 1/24 is to be applied in practice. That uncertainty has already led to a further referral, G 1/26, which seeks clarification on a number of important issues arising from the decision. In this article, we examine the questions referred to in G1/26. We also consider the potential potential consequences of the EBA’s answers for different parties.

Product-by-process claims are patent claims in which a product is defined, at least partly, in terms of the process used to create it. From a patent drafting and a patent enforcement perspective, this can be very appealing. However, different countries have distinctly different views on product-by-process claims.

From 1 August 2026, Jersey will become an independent designation under the Madrid System, introducing an important change for brand owners seeking international trade mark protection.

Wynne-Jones IP has once again been recognised by the Financial Times as one of Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms, reinforcing the firm's reputation for delivering high-quality intellectual property services across a broad range of technologies and industries.

In many industrial businesses, intellectual property is still treated as a late-stage consideration, addressed once R&D is complete. Leading innovators take a different approach. They integrate IP analytics throughout the new product development (NPD) lifecycle to guide technical decisions, manage risk and support commercial growth. This article outlines how core IP analytics activities support each stage of the NPD process, and why it has become an increasingly important part of modern innovation strategy.

"Working with Wynne-Jones IP has been an outstanding experience. Their combination of legal expertise, clear communication, and genuine support made what could have been a daunting process completely manageable for our startup."

The European Patent Convention welcomes a new member state.

My career in intellectual property began in late 2007 at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), where I worked in the Tribunal Section as a Caseworker.