Christopher Wilkins

Background

Christopher is a European and Chartered UK Patent Attorney. He joined Dehns in 2007 after completing an Honours degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Durham University and a PhD and research fellowship in Plant Molecular Biology at Cambridge University. He became an Associate of the firm in 2013, Senior Associate in 2019 and was made Partner in 2022.

Type of clients and client work

Clients include both large multinational companies and SMEs with various sizes of patent portfolios, and work includes evaluating inventions for patentability, drafting patent specifications and all aspects of patent prosecution, including worldwide prosecution of patent families. Christopher also provides advice on infringement and validity, opposition of granted patents and assistance with the development and management of patent portfolios.

Expertise

His work covers a wide range of biotechnology, medical and cosmetic fields. For instance, he has handled applications relating to: antibodies; artificial immune systems; pharmaceuticals, including peptide and protein based drugs; new medical uses of known biomolecules; virology and vaccination; newly identified genes and proteins and isolation methods; analyte detection methods and systems; genetically modified plants, animals and microorganisms; diagnostic assays; cosmetics; array technology; biofuel production; nucleic acid sequencing, amplification and identification; and molecular biology techniques.

Qualifications and Memberships

• Authorised Representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) (2023)
• UK Chartered Patent Attorney, 2011
• European Patent Attorney, 2011
• Certificate in IP Law, University of London, 2009
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
• Member of the European Patent Institute
• Member of the Royal Society of Biology
• Basic Litigation Skills Course

Higher Education

BSc Hons Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Durham, 2000

PhD, Plant Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, 2004

Christopher was awarded his PhD in 2004 for research into the perception of the plant hormone cytokinin, and continued his research in this field as the ‘William Colton Fellow’ at Queens’ College, Cambridge University. During his fellowship he devoted a considerable amount of time to teaching, which included a lecture series in Plant and Microbial sciences for 2nd year undergraduates, as well as supervising undergraduate tutorial groups.

Other

Christopher has recently been recognised in the Patent 1000 IAM 2023 edition, with feedback from peers and clients noting: “Christopher (Kit) is an expert in cell therapy technologies and often has good ideas and insight on how to tweak and improve patent applications. Kit’s mastery of molecular details and the scope of applications greatly impresses. He immediately grasps what is most essential and thinks of all aspects of the filing under consideration. His grasp of both the European law and the biotechnologies is among the best in the business. His completes work swiftly, always on schedule and with excellent attention to detail. He is also capable of handling last-minute things and always to an excellent standard. He is a great person to work with. His demeanour and character are hyper-professional and extremely courteous. Kit can also handle EPO opposition work masterfully – his communication is detailed and timely, and includes multiple strategic options.”

Christopher frequently writes on the IP industry and the Life Sciences sector; see below for his articles.