Dehns has enhanced its Norwegian practice with the appointment of Howard Read as Patent Director in its Oslo office, building on a series of recent strategic senior hires and underlining the firm’s continued investment in Norway and the wider Nordic region.
Dehns is pleased to announce that Howard Read has joined the firm as Patent Director in Oslo, further enhancing its capabilities and long-term commitment to clients in Norway and across the Nordic region. His appointment follows two recent senior hires, reflecting Dehns’ strategic focus on investing in high‑level expertise to strengthen further its offering and support clients’ evolving needs.
Howard is a highly experienced European Patent Attorney with a multidisciplinary background spanning science, engineering and law. He has extensive expertise in drafting and prosecuting patent applications, as well as defending and opposing patents before the European Patent Office and national courts.
His technical experience covers a broad range of sectors, including energy, offshore, aquaculture, artificial intelligence and medical devices. Howard has particular strengths in advising on complex and cross‑disciplinary technologies, supported by a distinguished academic background that includes a PhD from the University of Cambridge and an LLM in Intellectual Property Law.
Prior to joining Dehns, Howard held senior roles in both private practice and industry. Most recently, he was a partner at a well-known intellectual property firm and has worked as a patent attorney in Norway. Alongside his client work, he has been actively involved in training and mentoring patent attorneys, contributing to the ongoing development of the profession.
In his role as Patent Director, Howard will focus on delivering high‑quality patent services to both Norwegian and other European clients, including drafting, prosecution, opposition and strategic advice, while also supporting the continued growth of Dehns’ Norwegian practice as part of a broader programme of senior investment across the firm.
Howard joins the firm just a few weeks after the appointment of Benoit Guerts as Dehns’ Head of IP Consulting, and also Coreena Brinck, who has joined Dehns as Head of AI Development.
Adrian Samuels, Managing Partner at Dehns, commented:
“Howard’s appointment reflects our continued investment in Norway and builds on recent strategic senior hires across the firm. His experience, technical breadth and excellent reputation make him an outstanding addition to our Oslo team and will further enhance the support we provide to clients operating in the region.”
Howard Read added:
“I am delighted to be joining Dehns at an exciting time for the business. Norway has a dynamic and growing innovation landscape, and I look forward to working closely with clients to help protect and maximise the value of their technologies.”
Howard’s appointment further underlines Dehns’ commitment to investing in senior talent and enhancing further its presence in Norway, ensuring clients benefit from deep expertise, continuity of advice and high‑quality, commercially focused patent support.