Nick South

Nick South is a Partner and a European and UK Patent Attorney in the Electronics, Software and Communications team. Nick deals with patent issues across a wide range of areas, including electromagnetic sensors, semiconductor technology, electric motors, overhead power cables and medical instruments.

He also advises clients in the field of software and hardware including AI. This involves assessing the patentability of computer-implemented inventions to navigate the exclusions from patentability for computer programs and business methods at the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office, in order to maximise the scope of protection available to clients.

His experience includes advising on vehicle control systems and automotive communications systems, which incorporates noise reduction, speech recognition and signal processing, as well as drafting patent applications.

A regular contributor to the wider profession, Nick is a member of IPO and EPI and has presented to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on the patentability of computer simulation and modelling inventions, as well as spending over a decade lecturing on the CIPA Patent Administrators course. He is also a regular contributor to the Space East newsletter on the use of intellectual property in the space sector, and has been published in Intellectual Property magazine and Lawyer Monthly.

Education 

Nick studied Engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge, completing a final year Masters project on the aerodynamic properties of tennis balls and the effect of this on the game.

Before joining the profession, Nick followed his Engineering degree by obtaining a post-graduate certificate in Design, Manufacture and Management. As part of his studies he visited over 100 companies and carried out projects across a range of manufacturing industries to gain an insight into different manufacturing practices and commercial issues.

He also gained a certificate in Intellectual Property Law at Queen Mary, University of London, and has successfully completed the CIPA litigation skills course.

Professional Memberships

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)
• Member of the European Patent Institute