Howard Keith Withers
Ph.D, M.Sc., LL.B.
Admissions:
- European Patent Attorney
- Barrister & Solicitor (Ontario, Canada)
Keith Withers is authorized to represent clients before the European Patent Office, the Ontario Provincial Courts and the 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.
Keith 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 his responsibilities relate to the drafting and prosecution of European patent applications, particularly in his areas of particular technical expertise.
Keith 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:
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 studies at 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
2000 - 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
2008 - 2010
Patent consultant at df-mp
Since 2010
European Patent Attorney 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:
- epi - Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office
- Law Society of Upper Canada
