Dentons promotes 17 senior lawyers across Australasia
15 September 2020
Dentons has promoted 17 senior lawyers across its offices in Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Two of the 17 promotions were intellectual property lawyers; they became effective July 1, 2020.
“These well-deserved promotions recognize our legal professionals who continue to demonstrate their skills and capabilities during these challenging times, and deliver outstanding results for our clients,” said Australia chair and Australasia region CEO Doug Stipanicev.
John Simpson, an Auckland-based, Australia- and New Zealand-qualified patent attorney, was promoted to senior associate. Simpson has experience in patent prosecution, drafting, and freedom to operate analysis. He studied mechatronics engineering and law at the University of Auckland and has experience in protecting software, electrical and mechanical inventions. John has experience working closely with large corporate clients to protect and commercialize their intellectual property. Simpson has particular experience in drafting and prosecuting in device type subject matter (combining elements from the electrical, mechanical and software fields),medical devices sensors and sensor systems (flow, pressure, temperature etc.),actuators, control systems, and mechanical components and products. Healso has experience in the software patenting field.
Auckland-based Scott Pollok, a New Zealand and Australian patent attorney and also a qualified mechanical engineer and New Zealand solicitor, has also been promoted to senior associate. Pollok is a specialist in patent matters in New Zealand and Australia, including the drafting, filing, and prosecuting patent applications in both countries. In addition to IP protection, he advises on infringement, validity, and freedom to operate issues globally and in particular in relation to New Zealand and Australian IP.
Pollok also has experience advising on and managing global intellectual property protection strategies, including drafting and prosecuting global patent portfolios. His prosecution experience includes not only New Zealand and Australia, but also the United States, Europe, and China. With his background in mechanical engineering, Pollok’s practice focuses on patents and registered designs in relation to mechanical and manufacturing technologies.
