Owen Lawton

Background

Owen is a trainee who handles a diverse range of work in the engineering, materials and physical sciences with increasing experience in contentious matters. Owen joined Dehns in 2023, following his degree in Materials Science from the University of Oxford.

Types of client and client work

Owen works with a broad range of clients, from start-ups and spin outs through to large multinationals. He handles prosecution in a wide range of jurisdictions including the UK, Europe, the US, Japan, Korea and China and has experience in both patent opposition and appeal proceedings in front of the European Patent Office.

Owen regularly works advising clients on freedom to operate (FTO) matters, due diligence, trade secrets, asset harvesting and early IP strategy. He regularly works with deep-tech clients that span Norway and the UK offering an end-to-end IP service.

Increasingly, Owen is working with clients in the space sector, mainly focusing on in orbit service and manufacture (ISAM) and materials development. He is well located for clients in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, in particular due to his proximity to Harwell campus and other expanding science parks around Oxford.

Expertise

Owen has experience relating to a wide range of technologies in the fields of physical sciences and engineering. While he regularly works on materials inventions, Owen has most experience dealing with mechanical inventions and scientific instruments.

Qualifications and Memberships

• Foundation EQE, 2025
• Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property, Bournemouth University, 2024
• Student Member of CIPA (Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys)

Higher Education

MEng (Hons) Materials Science, University of Oxford

Other 

Owen takes pride in regular positive feedback from clients. His feedback from clients includes:

• “Thanks for sharing the final application. You have done an excellent job of bringing black and white to a complicated and broad subject; therefore I would like to thank you for how easy you have done it for us and for the final result. Wishing you a great weekend!”
• “Just wanted to share my thanks again for today – a good success and I’m sure the client will be happy. Great advocacy (I’ve not seen praise from the other side before!), some refinements to the technical problem that helped the OD reach its obviousness decision, and some enhancements to the added-matter attacks all assisted in getting us to a great result.”