Heather McCann > EIP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

EIP
FAIRFAX HOUSE
15 FULWOOD PLACE
LONDON
WC1V 6HU
England
Heather McCann photo

Work Department

EIP Digital, EIP Dynamics.

Position

Partner, UK and European Patent Attorney

Career

Heather is regularly cited in the Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and IAM Patent 1000 guides as a leading practitioner. When permitted to travel she divides her time between EIP’s offices in London and the US, from where she regularly advises Silicon Valley tech start-ups, SMEs and US law firms on European patent filing and prosecution strategy. Heather is well placed to advise clients on the new Unified Patent Court (UPC) – see further details at EIP Amar, our alliance created to support clients in any litigation before the UPC.

Heather joined EIP in 2002 from the IP Division of a major telecoms company. She has significant experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications for innovation relating to the Internet of Things, security, computer systems and architecture, desktop applications, signal processing, wireless modem technologies, a range of networking topologies and protocols, electronic messaging systems and electronic trading systems. She has represented clients at opposition and appeal proceedings at the EPO on numerous occasions, and provides support on patent litigation matters, worldwide. Heather has extensive experience of developing, communicating and implementing IP strategies.

Heather has a PhD in Combustion and Fluid Dynamics, and a Bachelors Degree in Engineering, both from Imperial College, London.

  • 2002 — present
    Partner, EIP
  • 1999 — 2002
    Patent Attorney, British Telecoms
  • 1998 — 1999
    Trainee Patent Attorney, BAE Systems

Languages

English and French.

Memberships

CIPA; EPI.

Education

  • European Patent Attorney
  • UK Chartered Patent Attorney
  • 1997
    PhD in Combustion and Fluid Dynamics, Imperial College, London
  • 1993
    BEng Engineering, Imperial College, London

Leisure

Gardening, reading, running.

Lawyer Rankings

London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > PATMA: Patent attorneys

The ‘fantastic‘ dual practice at EIP, consisting of patent attorneys and IP litigators, has a strong and well-established focus on high-tech sectors and advises its clients across the entire lifecycle of patent work, from protection of rights and portfolio management, to enforcement, opposition, and appeal hearings before the EPO. This offering also includes cross-border litigation, especially in the UK and Germany, and growing areas for the group include the life sciences and medtech sectors. In London, digital specialist Jerome Spaargaren and Heather McCann, who has expertise in Internet of Things, security, computer systems, and wireless modem technologies jointly lead the team alongside Bath-based Matt Lawman, who has notable skills in handling high-tech electronics and software experience-related mandates. Senior associate Ben Maling (London) has experience in securing patents domestically and internationally for large tech companies and SMEs, and managing associate Ben Willows (Bath) handles inventions across a range of areas, including consumer electronics, image processing systems, and printers. In team news, Andrew Thompson joined the team in London from Withers & Rogers in June 2022, and Colin Lobban departed in July 2022 for an in-house position at Dyson.