Laurence is a registered Australian Patent Attorney, a registered New Zealand Patent Attorney, a registered Australian Trade Mark attorney, and is admitted to practice as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia.
Prior to entering the Patent Attorney profession in 2000, Laurence was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from the University of Sydney, a Master of Industrial Property Law from the University of Technology Sydney, and, a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Wollongong. He previously practised at Deacons (2007-2013) in Hong Kong, and before that, at Davies Collison Cave (2000-2007) in Sydney Australia (which is Laurence’s home town).
In 2015, Laurence became a Council Member of the Asian Patent Attorney Association Hong Kong Group (APAA), having formerly served for several years on the Designs Standing Committee of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association Hong Kong Group. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (FIPTA), and is also an active member of Federation International des Conseils en Propriete Industrielle (FICPI), the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the Hong Kong Institute of Trade Mark Practitioners (HKITMP).
Laurence’s practice specializes in the procurement, management and enforcement of patent, design and trademark rights as well as providing strategic intellectual property advice regarding freedom-to-operate clearance, validity and patentability/registrability issues covering major jurisdictions around the world such as the United States, Europe, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Australia. His practice includes original drafting of patent specifications, advising on suitable multi-jurisdictional patent filing strategies, and strategic management of substantive prosecution of patent families globally.
A substantial part of Laurence’s practice involves providing specialist Hong Kong and Chinese patent filing, prosecution and advisory services to foreign clients in troubleshooting particularly problematic and difficult cases involving analogue/digital electronics, telecommunications and data processing systems, computer hardware/software, e-commerce business systems and electro-mechanical devices and processes. Laurence also acts for a diverse range of clients including luxury goods designers and manufacturing companies requiring strategic advice to protect branding and designs covering jewellery, footwear, garments, aspects of product packaging, toys, household consumer products as well as computer-related devices, graphics and interfaces.
Professional Qualifications
Registered Australian Patent Attorney
Registered New Zealand Patent Attorney
Registered Australian Trade Mark Attorney
Admitted Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia (non-practising)
Academic Qualifications
Master of Industrial Property Law, The University of Technology Sydney
Bachelor of Laws (Hons), The University of Wollongong
Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, The University of Sydney
Professional Memberships
Council Member of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association Hong Kong Group of the (APAA)
Panel Member of Designs Standing Committee of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association Hong Kong Group (APAA)
Member of the Fédération Internationale de Conseils en Propriété Industrielle (FICPI)
Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (FIPTA)
Member of the International Trademarks Association (INTA)
Hong Kong Institute of Trade Mark Practitioners (Affiliate member)
Professional Experience
2000 – 2007 – Davies Collison Cave, Sydney, Australia
2007 – 2013 – Intellectual Property Department, Deacons, Hong Kong
Speaking Engagements
“Innovation and Competition: The Impact of Competition Law on IPRs” Deacons Seminar to In-house Counsels (March 2013)
“The New Competition Law – Potential Pitfalls in Patent and Commercial Issues” Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Seminar (October 2012)
“European Community Design Rights”, Deacons Seminar (July 2011)
“Recent Developments in US Law and Practice – Practical Implications for Local Clients” Deacons Seminar (April 2009)
“Joint Ventures and Collaborative IP Projects” Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Seminar to Technology Companies (November 2008)
