About Katie

Katie is an intellectual property lawyer with expertise across sectors including medical technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and engineering. With a degree in Science (majoring in Pharmacology), her practice has a particular focus on matters relating to complex technical subject matter.

Katie has advised various multinational clients on IP commercialisation, transactions, enforcement and freedom to operate. She has acted in a number of global patent disputes, involving proceedings before the Federal Court of Australia, High Court of Australia, UK High Court and Court of Appeal and the European Patent Office.

Prior to joining Maddocks, Katie spent nine years working at a leading global firm in Melbourne and London.

Experience

• IP transactions
  • Advising a leading medical research institute on a Research Licence and Option Agreement with a global biopharma company regarding a biologic and antibody therapeutics platform.

  • Advising Acacia Research Corporation on IP aspects of its acquisition of up to 19 public and private life sciences companies for a total consideration of over £220 million.

  • Drafting and advising on a complex collaboration agreement for a leading hospital.
• Patent litigation – life sciences
  • Advising Navbit Pty Ltd in a patent dispute against OrthAlign Inc regarding a medical technology device for use in orthopaedic surgery.

  • Advising Foundation Medicine, Inc., a subsidiary of the Roche group, on a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute concerning its next generation sequencing-based companion diagnostic for the analysis of tumor alterations, FoundationOne®Liquid CDx.

  • Advising Ariosa on a multi-jurisdictional multi-patent dispute concerning its Harmony® non-invasive prenatal genetic test, including a defence of patent infringement proceedings in the UK Patents Court and Court of Appeal.
• Patent litigation – physical sciences

  Acting for Rio Tinto subsidiary Technological Resources in proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against Epiroc for alleged infringement of patents for autonomous drilling of blast holes in surface mining, including defending a cross claim alleging invalidity.