In 1990 I came across the world of patents and I discovered a fascinating playground. After a few years in an IP firm in Barcelona I considered sitting the European Qualifying Examination (EQE), which was no small feat at the time if you happened to work in Spain. I was lucky: a top-class London IP firm offered me a training visit of a couple of months which helped me with the exam but also gave me an invaluable insight into every aspect of the job of a European patent attorney: it had a huge influence in my professional life.
I passed the EQE in 1999 to become one of the very first qualified European Patent Attorneys in Spain and in 2003 I founded together with two colleagues our new firm ZBM Patents, with the ambition of changing the patent landscape in the country and providing services comparable to those of the best IP firms in Europe.
My job includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications at the EPO, USPTO and others, in several engineering fields. I also advise clients in patentability, freedom to operate or due diligence matters, and I often play the role of technical patent expert before Spanish courts: this has led me to participate in several pan-European litigation cases.
An increasing share of my time goes into meetings and discussions with clients. Domestic clients require advice on how to optimize their IP strategy in view of their specific business needs, the stage of development of the technology or the position of competitors, while in the case of foreign clients and colleagues ZBM offers sustained guidance on the specific requirements of the European Patent Office. Our contribution in this case ranges from preparing successful claims and arguments to tailoring the prosecution to meet the client’s interests.
An aspect of my job I particularly enjoy is supervising trainees and giving support to associates, as well as tutoring, for example for the epi (European Patent Institute).
Year Joined Firm: 2003
Education/Alumni: MSc in Mechanical Engineering, from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Network Memberships: AIPPI, EPI
