Howard Keith Withers
Ph.D, M.Sc., LL.B.
Admissions:
- Barrister & Solicitor (Ontario, Canada)
Mr. Withers is authorized to represent clients before the Ontario Provincial Courts and Canadian Federal Courts.
Practice Areas:
Keith Withers has been active in the field of intellectual property since 1994. His experience within the biotechnology industry and with law firms in both North America and Europe has focused upon prosecution of patent and trademark applications and intellectual property portfolio management. He joined df-mp in 2008.
Mr. Withers works with both the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals practice groups of df-mp. His scientific background includes the fields of biophysical, organic and electro-chemistry, molecular biology and microbiology.
An important part of Mr. Wither’s responsibilities relate to the drafting and prosecution of European patent applications, particularly in his areas of technical expertise.
Mr. Withers also assists with opposition proceedings before the EPO and patent litigation cases, and he also investigates patent validity and infringement issues in connection with freedom-to-operate and due diligence projects.
Education and Professional Experience:
1971 – 1974
B.Sc. Studies in Biochemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England
1974 – 1978
M.Sc. Studies in Microbiological Differentiation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
1978 – 1982
Research associate in biochemistry, hospital and institutional research laboratories, Vancouver, Canada
1982 – 1988
Ph.D. Studies in Bioenergetics and Protein Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
1989 – 1993
Postdoctoral research associate at McGill University Cancer Centre and Université de Montréal, Canada
1993 – 1997
Law student McGill University, Montréal, Canada: LL.B. (Common Law), B.C.L. (Civil Law)
1994 – 1997
Gérant de la propriété intellectuelle, BioSignal Inc., Montréal, QC, Canada
1997 – 1998
Articling law student with Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario) at patent law firms of Marusyk, Bourassa, Miller & Swain, Ottawa, Canada, and at Frohwitter I.P. Counselors, Munich, Germany
1999 - 2000
Associate at patent law firm of Frohwitter Intellectual Property Counselors, Munich, Germany
2001 - 2002
Associate Director Intellectual Property, Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried, Munich, Germany
2003 - 2008
Associate at patent law firm of Huber & Schüssler Patent- und Rechtsanwälte in Munich, Germany
Seit 2008
Patent consultant at df-mp
Activities and Publications:
- Author and co-author of scientific publications in the field of microbiology and protein biochemistry:Publications
- Invited speaker at various international intellectual property conferences.
Memberships:
- Law Society of Upper Canada
