Richard Kennedy

Profile

Richard is a European and UK Patent Attorney and is a partner at the firm. He deals with patent matters in a range of deep tech areas including machine learning, photonics and quantum computing. Client feedback describes him as “an excellent patent attorney”, “technically dazzling”, with “top tier” knowledge of patent eligibility (IAM Patent 1000, 2022/2023/2024).

Richard is the lead for the firm’s AI team, and has been recognised in the Legal 500 for his “unique understanding in the machine learning field”. Other client feedback endorses his “very strong technical skills on complex machine learning subject matter”, and notes that he is “highly in-tune with ongoing policy developments”, having been at the “forefront of debates around AI and IP”.

Richard has extensive experience of working with multinational companies and SMEs, usually acting as outside counsel but also at times in an outsourced “in-house” role, and has also assisted a variety of start-ups and universities. He takes a practical, collaborative and commercial approach to patent work, and enjoys working with clients to secure best protection for their innovation. His practice covers invention capture, original drafting, patent prosecution before the EPO and around the world, as well as oppositions, freedom-to-operate opinions, and appeals.

Richard lectures in patent drafting for AI inventions at the Centre d’Études Internationales de la Propriété Intellectuelle (CEIPI).

Education

Richard has a bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Physics from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in Applied Physics from Imperial College London. After his degree he worked in commercial software development. He entered the patent profession in 2006.

Professional Membership

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)
• Member of the European Patent Institute
• European Patent Litigator
• UPC Authorised Representative
• IP Litigation Certificate

Awards and Recognition

• IAM Patent 1000 (Silver) for Patent Prosecution – 2026