Dave Holt
Dave is an expert in non-contentious intellectual property (IP) law, specialising in complex IP agreements and due diligence. He works with a wide variety of clients , ranging from spin-outs and SMEs to multinational companies and venture capital investors. His ability to rapidly understand complex technologies, particularly in life sciences and synthetic biology, allows him to advise on IP strategy and ensure commercial agreements are tailored to the specific technology involved.
Dave works closely with patent and trade mark attorney colleagues across all Potter Clarkson offices, with a particular focus on Glasgow and Oslo. He is most often involved in helping companies develop and refine their IP strategy, including protection and exploitation, alongside technical specialists.
He also leads the IP due diligence function within the firm’s UK offices, coordinating multidisciplinary teams on complex matters. Where possible, he supports local businesses and charitable organisations seeking IP strategy advice.
Dave integrated immunology and genetic mutation into his LLB dissertation and has directed his legal career towards technical IP work ever since. His sector expertise includes life sciences and synthetic biology, particularly oncology therapeutics and diagnostics, machine learning-enhanced platform technologies and medical devices.
For the past five years, he has been an active member of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) and holds a position on the LESI Britain & Ireland Board, where he helps coordinate both Young Member Congress and B&I events. Dave also regularly speaks on panels and presents at innovation hubs including ShareLab, CodeBase, and SPARK Norway, a two-year innovation programme hosted by UiO:Life Science.
- Undertaking specialist IP due diligence for investors, from angel investment through to Series B and C investments (acting for Earlybird GmbH, Planet First Partners, M&G)
- Negotiating complex research and development and collaboration agreements for companies such as ExpressionEdits, Prothea Limited, Blond Ltd, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Trust, and Thelper A/S
- Undertaking trade secrets audits and assisting clients in developing IP strategies for commercialisation
- Coordinating multijurisdictional advice on complex collaboration arrangements
Services
- PGDip (Oxon), Intellectual Property Law and Practice, University of Oxford
- PGDip (Legal Practice Course), Nottingham Law School
- LLB, University of Durham
- Council Member, Licensing Executives Society International (Britain & Ireland)
- Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)
- Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA)
Dave Holt – charming, bright and fantastic at getting the job done.
- IAM Patent 1000
- MIP IP STARS: Rising Star
About Dave
Experience
Areas of expertise
Qualifications
Testimonials
Awards
How We Live Our Values: Excellence
Having spent part of my career in-house, and much of it working with founders, inventors, and investors, commerciality has been a cornerstone of my work for the last 10 years.
Legal professionals are sometimes criticised for providing the law alone without commercial application, but to be able to give incisive advice, I believe you need to understand your client’s commercial priorities and risk appetite.
That’s why I make time to understand the priorities of each client I work with, and to learn as much as I can about their industry and the IP challenges they face, whether they’re a start-up or a multinational.
As with any business, networks are extremely valuable. I try to maintain strong relationships with leading advisers in law, tax and other fields so clients receive the best possible advice across the full scope of their issue, not just the scope of my own practice.
To me, that’s what delivering excellence looks like in practice.
In My Own Words
I can admit that I wasn’t one of the lawyers who always wanted to be a lawyer. I was put on this path by the sage advice of my former head of sixth form at Lawrence Sheriff School, Mme Halestrap, who looked at my slew of arts A-Levels and said ‘perhaps you should try law, you might like it?’. Mrs Smith of RHS, my English Literature teacher, told me that there is no faster way to kill your love of reading than having to do it every day for months during university.
I’m forever grateful to them for helping me to fall into a career that has allowed me to experience groundbreaking RNAi therapeutics, hearings in the Court of Appeal, and working with genuine experts in diverse technological, scientific and creative fields.
Being involved in a major piece of litigation within my first two years at Potter Clarkson, which cleared the way for a novel therapeutic for amyloidosis (Alnylam) to reach those who needed it, was a great opportunity to see what a career in IP offered.
Now I find a lot of enjoyment in, and it is particularly rewarding to be able to, advise early-stage companies starting their work with IP, collaborations, and research and development. Taking embryonic (not literally in most cases!) innovations and creating agreements, strategies and analysis that support their growth is one of the most satisfying aspects of my work.
I would say that the variety and experiences in my work are genuinely fantastic and I am very lucky to work with my colleagues and clients alike.
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