Joel is an experienced patent litigator who has worked on a number of the recent leading cases in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics fields.

Before becoming a solicitor, Joel completed a PhD in the Department of Biochemistry of the University of Cambridge. Joel’s strong life sciences background has been of particular relevance for his recent work relating to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare technologies, including small molecules, antibody therapeutics and technologies, DNA sequencing, spatial genomics and therapeutic microarrays. Joel has represented clients before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, including in two of the leading cases relating to the validity and infringement of second medical use (Warner-Lambert v Actavis) and biotechnology patents (Regeneron v Kymab).

Joel has also worked on a number of electronics and mechanical engineering patent cases, and has experience of handling multi-jurisdictional patent actions. In addition to representing clients in litigation before the UK Courts, Joel has represented clients in European Patent Office opposition proceedings. Joel is a solicitor advocate, and has appeared before the High Court.

Joel joined Powell Gilbert in 2011, and became a Partner in 2022.

Key Cases

• BioNTech / Pfizer v CureVac (SARS-CoV2 vaccine)
• Regeneron v Kymab (antibodies / transgenic mice)
• Warner-Lambert v Actavis & Others (pregabalin)
• AutoStore v Ocado (robotics)
• Gilead v NuCana (nucleoside analogues)
• Illumina v MGI (DNA sequencing technology)
• GlaxoSmithKline v Fibrogen & Astellas (anaemia therapeutics)
• Illumina v Ariosa & TDL (non-invasive prenatal testing)
• Illumina v Premaitha (non-invasive prenatal testing)
• Coloplast v Salts (ostomy devices)
• Boehringer Ingelheim v Royalty Pharma Collection Trust (DPP-IV inhibitors)
• Forty Seven v SSB (therapeutic antibodies)
• Mylan v Sandoz (protein purification)
• Chugai Pharmaceutical v UCB (patent licence dispute – antibody technology)
• Merck Sharp & Dohme v Royalty Pharma Collection Trust (DPP-IV inhibitors)
• Corma v Hegler Plastik (extruded plastics)
• Rovi v Virgin Media & TiVo (electronics)
• Motorola Mobility v BT (digital TV)
• Convatec v Smith & Nephew (wound dressings)