Stephen Smith

MA (Oxon), DPhil, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, European Patent Attorney.

Steve read biochemistry at the University of Oxford before undertaking a doctorate degree in neuroscience at the University's Department of Clinical Pharmacology. During his doctorate studies, Steve spent several months on secondment at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. After completing his doctorate, Steve remained in Oxford and spent three years as a post-doctoral scientist and authored a number of scientific papers.

Steve joined Potter Clarkson in 1998 and became a partner in 2007.

Steve specialises in biotechnology-related patent matters, dealing with subjects including recombinant technology, antibody therapies, drug screening assays, medical devices and diagnostic markers of human and animal disease. He has extensive experience of patent prosecution at the European Patent Office, including oppositions and appeals, and has also been involved in national patent litigation in the UK and Sweden. Steve acts for a range of clients including multinational companies, government-funded research institutes, universities, as well as early-stage and start-up biotech companies based throughout Europe. He has lectured and written articles on the patenting of biotechnological inventions.