Participants had the opportunity to discover, review and discuss current issues in intellectual property (IP) relating to research, and trends in IP in the UK and Europe at this afternoon seminar. 
Liz Coleman
Liz Coleman became Director of the Intellectual Property and Innovation Directorate of the UK-IPO in January 2006 on her return from secondment to the European Commission in Brussels. She has worked in intellectual property and innovation policy since 1993, covering European and international negotiations in all areas of IP.
Liz started her career as a patent examiner in chemical and medical fields, having graduated from Cambridge University with an honours degree in Natural Sciences.
James Robertson
James specialises in biotechnology, particularly in diagnostics, therapeutics, methods of treatment, medical devices, genetics, and plant variety rights. He also has a wealth of non-biotech experience, particularly in the areas of mechanical and civil engineering. James advises clients (from individuals through to SMEs, University spin-outs, and large corporates) on issues ranging from the drafting and filing of UK and European patent applications through to foreign filing strategies, the prosecution of national and international patent applications, portfolio management, exploitation, due diligence, and infringement and validity. He is also a regular visitor to the European Patent Office in Munich and the Hague where he represents clients on contentious cases, and is experienced in the registration of UK and Community Registered Designs.
James graduated from Cambridge University with an honours degree in Natural Sciences, specialising in molecular biology, and entered the patents profession in 1994. He qualified in private practice as a Chartered Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney before joining Marks & Clerk.
Isabel Davies
Isabel Davies is Senior Partner of the Intellectual Property team and chairman of the Technology, Media and Telecoms industry focus group. She is highly regarded as one of the UK and Europe's foremost IP lawyers specialising in all forms of dispute resolution including mediation.
For over 25 years Isabel's practice has focused on of all aspects of intellectual property including patents, trade marks, design, copyright, confidential information and trade libel. She has an extensive background in multi-jurisdiction litigation, and is a noted expert in Europe for IP dispute resolution - including mediation.
Isabel deals in both contentious and transnational issues and advises on portfolio management of trade marks and patents, programmes for obtaining multi-national registrations of trade marks, challenging and acquiring trade marks and the disposal and assignment of portfolios of IP rights. Isabel is particularly well known for trade mark dispute work and has a strong following in the technology, media and telecoms, consumer products and other brand focused industry sectors. She was voted the top "trade mark lawyer in the world" by Managing Intellectual Property and Euromoney in 2004 and 2005.