Jonathan Stafford, a patent attorney, has rejoined Carpmaels & Ransford as a partner within its chemistry division, marking the firm’s fourth partner addition in 2026. Stafford initially started his career at Carpmaels in 2007 before moving to Marks & Clerk, where he served as a partner from 2017.
Strengthening Chemistry Practice
Stafford’s expertise will bolster Carpmaels’ chemistry practice, particularly in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. He is also a frequent advocate before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the European Patent Office (EPO).
Following his chemistry studies, Stafford worked as a process research chemist at AstraZeneca. He then transitioned to Carpmaels in 2007 as a patent attorney, developing a practice encompassing pharmaceuticals, chemistry, life sciences, and medical technologies. His work includes small molecule pharmaceuticals, diagnostic devices, polymers, advanced materials, and synthetic chemistry.
At the UPC, Stafford has participated in multiple revocation actions, including cases at the Court of Appeal. He was part of the team in the first full merits hearing of a UPC revocation action before the Paris Central Division. Additionally, he represented Meril in opposition proceedings at the EPO and acted in the inventive step case Edwards vs Meril at the Court of Appeal.
Beyond litigation, Stafford advises on European IP portfolio management, freedom-to-operate, due diligence, licensing, and transactions.
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Stafford’s appointment coincides with Carpmaels’ 250th anniversary and follows other recent partner hires. Kevin Cordina, formerly of Simmons & Simmons, joined the engineering and tech team earlier this year. Niels Hölder from Hoffmann Eitle and Christopher Stothers from Freshfields joined the litigation practice in late 2025 and recently, respectively.
James Warner, senior partner at Carpmaels, stated that Stafford’s expertise will “greatly benefit our clients in life sciences and medical technologies, and will undoubtedly also add to our successes at the UPC.” Stafford described Carpmaels as “one of the first patent firms to create a dedicated litigation team and one of the earliest to develop proven expertise and experience at the UPC.”
Stafford’s departure from Marks & Clerk weakens its chemistry and life sciences practice, where he had been a partner for nearly a decade. He was a prominent figure in the firm’s patent litigation efforts.
Simon Mounteney, managing partner of Marks & Clerk, commented: “We thank Jonathan Stafford for his contribution to a very busy and successful team and wish him well for the future.” Following Stafford’s move, Marks & Clerk’s UK team comprises 110 patent attorneys and nine solicitors across eight offices.
