Martin MacLean - Global Referral - IP Martin MacLean - Global Referral - IP

Martin MacLean

UK & European Patent Attorney

Full Member

Biography

Martin has over 20 years of intellectual property (IP) experience with particular expertise in patent portfolio management for corporates and government. He is top ranked in Band 1 of the Chambers and Partners UK guide; a position he has held for the last 15 consecutive years. In the latest edition, Martin is described by sources as “always goes above and beyond and provides the best advice” (2026). He has also been described as “an outstanding patent attorney” (2025). He is also recommended in The Legal 500, and has received praise for being “a pleasure to work with” (2023), “accessible”, “knowledgeable” and for his “outstanding, can-do attitude” (2021). He has been consistently ranked as a ‘World Leading IP Strategist’ in IAM Strategy 300 , and recognised in the inaugural IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders list, in which he is described as “an exceptional patent attorney who shares his expertise with ease” (2025). Martin has been described as ”a distinguished legal practitioner with a robust background in biotechnology and intellectual property. With over 100 EPO hearings under his belt and a remarkable success rate of approximately 90%, he excels in areas such as protein therapeutics, antibodies, and vaccines.” by IAM 300 Global Leaders (2026). Ranked as a ‘Recommended Individual’ in IAM Patent 1000 in the last six editions, sources describe Martin as an “extremely astute attorney who needs no introduction” (2025), and commend him for being “an extremely knowledgeable, efficient and effective practitioner with a deep technical understanding. He is pragmatic, commercially minded and always delivers a high-quality work product that gets results, especially before the EPO’’ (2024), “deft touch in managing sprawling patent portfolios” (2021) and his “knowledge on the targeting of bacterial toxins” (2020).

Expertise

Martin has conducted well in excess of 100 European Patent Office hearings, with a success rate of approximately 90%. He has a strong biotech background (PhD in microbial engineering from Warwick University), and specialises in technologies such as the protein therapeutics, antibodies, vaccines, expression systems, diagnostic assays, and ‘green’ agrochemicals.

He has extensive high value A&M (£100 m+) due diligence experience, which he is able to combine with the above core aspects of IP management, to provide valuable advice that is both informed and balanced.

Martin’s principal practice areas include; drafting and global prosecution, defence and opposition, freedom to operate and strategic advice.

Martin is a co-author of ‘Intellectual Property Issues for Bacteriophages‘, a Springer publication (2020), pp. 1-19 Bacteriophages. This article was written in combination with Dr David Harper (CEO & Founder of Evolution Biotechnologies Limited), a leading world expert in phage technology, and addresses the key challenges (and myths) associated with securing patent rights in this tech space.

Academic

Martin has a strong background in biochemistry and biotechnology, having obtained a first class degree (Warwick University) in microbial technology and a PhD (Warwick University) for research conducted into the biochemical aspects of acidophilic bacteria. He also has a master’s degree in IP from the University of London.

He acts as a tutor for the UK and European qualifying examinations. He also serves as a lecturer and clinician for the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys.

Recent work

Martin has presented on the challenges of stem cell patentability in Europe and provided practical advice on how to obtain commercially-relevant patents in this technical field.

Key hearings

“HIV peptides” (Adaltis, Abbott Lab, United Biomedical, Institut Pasteur, Bio-Rad Pasteur)
“Factor XIII” (Novo Nordisk, Baxter, Aventis Behring)
“TACI” (ZymoGenetics, Corixa, HGS)
“Omega-3” (Martek Biosciences, Nagase Biochem, Aventis R&T, OmegaTech, Monsanto)
“Stomach-action molluscicides” (Young, W.Neudorff GmbH)
“Pesticidal compositions” (W.Neudorff GmbH, Bayer CropScience AG)
“Aqueous pesticide formulations” (Monsanto, Nufarm Australia Limited, Rhodia Operations)
“RNase Ρ detection of pathogenic organisms” (Herrmann; MacLean)
“Detection of microbial residues” (DSM IP Assets, Charm Sciences)
“One-step detection of antimicrobial residues” (DSM IP Assets, Charm Sciences)
“Clonal virus therapeutics” (Wellstat Biologics, Bayer Schering Pharma AG)
“Propagation and directed differentiation of CNS stem cells” (Neuralstem Biopharma, Stem Cells Inc.)
“Recombinant EPO” (Sterrenbeld Biotechnologie; Polymun Scientific Immunbiologische)
“Neural Stimulation” (Enteromedics)
“Livestock feeds” (Univ. BC, Akzo)

Memberships & organisations

Martin is a member of the Life Sciences Committee for the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA).

Firm Description

European IP law firm dedicated to protecting and defending your future

Mathys & Squire is an IP powerhouse, putting our specialist knowledge to work to strengthen and secure what most modern businesses today treat as one of their most valuable strategic assets.

Member Details

Jurisdictions

flagEngland ,

flagUnited Kingdom

Exclusive Member

Intellectual Property

Member Groups

News

Three Mathys & Squire Partners, Anna Gregson, Dani Kramer, and Martin MacLean, have been recognised in the 2026 edition of IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders.

2026-03-27 06:25:49