John Brunner

John has extensive experience assisting tech and healthcare companies in all aspects of the patent lifecycle in the UK, Europe and globally, from invention mining, drafting and prosecution through to opposition, invalidity and enforcement proceedings. In particular, IAM in the Patent 1000 has noted his ‘superb’ ability to prosecute patent applications in Europe.

In the healthcare space, John built the foundational patent portfolio for a top 10 pharma company for their various drug delivery platforms and defended them at opposition. In recent years, he acted in multiple EPO opposition cases against Huawei in relation to various software patents. He has also acted for LifeScan at the EPO in relation to their glucose management diagnostics technology, both on prosecution and opposition matters. More recently, he has been brought in to handle the European patent portfolios of fast-growing and innovative companies, such as Align Technology, Quantum-Si and Auris Health. John also acts for J&J Vision in relation to their ophthalmic laser surgery and intra-ocular lens technology.

John advises a range of companies, from start-ups to multinationals, on a range of European IP issues, including infringement and enforcement of patents and design rights, and licensing issues. He is routinely brought in to handle complex FTO and clearance projects for a variety of US and European companies across the healthcare sector.

As the lead patent attorney on various litigation cases in the UK, including Align Technology v ClearCorrect in relation to the former’s Invisalign® technology, and AMO Development v Alcon in relation to Alcon’s LenSx® ophthalmic laser surgery platform, John has brought in-depth technical knowledge and strategic perspectives to bear on these cases from a European standpoint.

John is an Engineering graduate of the University of Oxford, where he specialised in biomedical engineering and electronics. He is a council member of the UK Group of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI). Prior to joining Carpmaels & Ransford, he worked for a leading technology product development consultancy in Cambridge.

John is regularly recommended by the leading industry guides. According to Legal 500 2024, “When it comes to critical EU oppositions, you can always count on John Brunner; he provides comprehensive patent strategies across Europe. He is sensitive to his clients’ competitive landscape and crafts their patent strategies to meet their business objectives.” He is also known for being versatile with “an impressive reputation in cutting-edge fields, including fintech, drug delivery and artificial intelligence” (IAM Patent 1000).