OUR PEOPLE
Paul Davis
Principal
+61 438 299 655
Paul is a Registered Patent Attorney in Australia and New Zealand. Paul has over 20 years’ experience as a patent attorney. Paul principally practices in the areas of medical devices, manufacturing processes and associated apparatus, mining and agricultural equipment and any other types of mechanical inventions. Paul has extensive experience in the areas of patent drafting, patent prosecution, strategic portfolio development, novelty opinions and patent enforcement as well as services for registered designs.
Paul has drafted hundreds of patent applications for local clients. Many of his patents have been tested before the courts including the landmark case "Seafood Innovations Pty Ltd v Richard Bass Pty Ltd" heard before the full federal court. Paul has worked for both domestic and international medical device companies, large mining companies, universities, and successful start-ups. Paul commenced his patent attorney career in 1994 at Cullen & Co (now Spruson & Ferguson) before joining Fisher Adams Kelly (also now Spruson & Ferguson) in 1998. Paul became a partner in 2001 and was made CEO in 2015. Paul resigned from Fisher Adams Kelly in 2018 prior to it being merged with Spruson & Ferguson.
Qualifications:
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B.Eng (Manufacturing) - Queensland University of Technology
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B.Bus (Marketing) - Queensland University of Technology
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Registered Australian and New Zealand Patent Attorney
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Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trademark Attorneys
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Former Board Member of the Institute of Patent and Trademark Attorneys
Mark Egerton
Principal
+61 492 489 075
Dr. Mark Egerton has more than 20 years' patent experience specialising in cell and molecular biology, protein chemistry, immunology, biochemistry, genomics and medical devices. Mark is committed to working with clients such as universities and startup companies to protect inventions in Australia and major foreign jurisdictions such as Europe, USA, Japan and China. Mark brings a sound understanding of patent strategy to his role, particularly with regard to the complexities of patenting biotechnological inventions, where there are significant differences in law practice across different jurisdictions.
Mark's previous scientific experience includes a PhD in T cell immunology and post-doctoral research in the fields of immunology and signal transduction at the National Institutes of Health (USA) and at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. Mark's expertise and experience are highly prized by domestic and international businesses, universities and research institutes that are engaged in developing biotechnology inventions. Before joining Davis IP Mark commenced his patent attorney career at Fisher Adams Kelly (now Spruson & Ferguson) in 1996 and became a partner in 2001.
Qualifications:
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B.Sc (Hons) – University of Melbourne (Walter & Eliza Hall Institute).
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PhD – University of Melbourne (Walter & Eliza Hall Institute).
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Registered Australian and New Zealand Patent Attorney
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Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trademark Attorneys
Fraser Smith
Principal
+61 405 408 266
Fraser has over 15 years’ experience working as a patent and trade mark attorney in Australia. With a technical background in electrical and electronic engineering, Fraser has versatile knowledge and experience in protecting inventions across a wide range of engineering technologies including in relation to electrical and electronic devices, embedded systems, computer hardware and software, as well as mechanical inventions in all manner of fields including mining, construction, consumer products.
Fraser’s post-graduate studies in Engineering Management had a strong commercialisation focus providing Fraser with a clear understanding of the product life-cycle from conception to commercial reality. He therefore has a broad comprehension of not just clients’ IP needs, but also their commercial needs required to ensure their idea is a success. Over the years Fraser has also maintained an active designs and trade marks practice to ensure that he can consider and advise on all forms of intellectual property that his clients face.
Like Paul, Fraser commenced his career at Cullen & Co. (which subsequently was rebranded to Cullens) in Brisbane. It was not until Fraser started at Fisher Adams Kelly (FAK) in 2010, though, that he got to know Paul well. Fraser and Paul worked together for many years before Cullens and Fisher Adams Kelly were merged to form the Spruson & Ferguson Brisbane Office where Fraser continued to work for a number of years prior to teaming up with Paul at Davis IP in 2021. Over his career, Fraser has worked for a very wide range of clients including small local innovators, SMEs, and large multi-national corporates. He prides himself in being approachable and willing to help any client achieve their objectives.
Qualifications:
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B.Eng (Electrical and Electronic) – University of Canterbury
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M.Eng (Management) – University of Canterbury
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Master of Intellectual Property – The University of Technology Sydney
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Registered Australian and New Zealand Patent and Trademarks Attorney
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Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys
Jacqui Symonds
Principal
+61 414 456 671
Jacqui is a registered Patent and Trade Marks Attorney in Australia and New Zealand and has over 12 years’ experience in the industry. Jacqui has extensive experience in trade marks and is passionate about achieving commercially relevant outcomes for her clients. She regularly assists clients in a broad range of trade mark matters including clearance searches, filing strategies, prosecution, oppositions, competitor watches, portfolio management, and enforcement.
Jacqui’s interest in IP stemmed from her undergraduate studies in medical science and her scientific work in the field of wound healing, tissue repair and cell culture applications. In 2010, Jacqui secured her Trade Marks Attorney registration and joined Fisher Adams Kelly (FAK) to complete her patent attorney training and develop her trade mark expertise. During her 10+ years at FAK (now Spruson & Ferguson), Jacqui had the opportunity to work with and get to know Paul, Fraser, and Mark and is thrilled to be working with them again at Davis IP.
During her career, Jacqui has worked with local and foreign clients from a wide range of industries including fast-moving consumer goods, food and beverage, clothing, software, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and professional services. She has a wealth of knowledge of trade mark practice and procedure in Australia and abroad, including in challenging jurisdictions such as the Middle East and China.
Qualifications:
• Master of Intellectual Property – The University of Technology Sydney
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) – Queensland University of Technology
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Science) – Queensland University of Technology
• Registered Australian and New Zealand Patent and Trademarks Attorney
Rhiannan Solomon
Principal
+61 413 547 381
Rhiannan is a Registered Trade Marks Attorney in Australia and New Zealand with 12+ years’ experience. Rhiannan started in the IP Industry in 2006 at Cullens (now Spruson & Ferguson) doing both patent and trade mark work, but she had a particular interest in trade marks, which led to her wanting to specialise in this area of IP. She became registered as a Trade Marks Attorney in 2011.
Rhiannan enjoys working with innovative clients in a wide range of industries and assisting them with the protection of their valuable IP rights. Throughout her career as a Trade Marks Attorney, Rhiannan has assisted local and multinational brand owners to secure their trade mark rights. She has a vast array of experience which includes assisting clients in Australia and overseas with adopting new brands, conducting clearance searches, filing and prosecuting trade mark applications, maintaining trade mark watches, opposition and removal proceedings, as well as trade mark enforcement and dispute resolution.
Prior to joining Davis IP, Rhiannan previously worked with Fraser at both Cullens and Spruson & Ferguson, and she also worked closely with Jacqui at Spruson & Ferguson. She is excited to be working with them both again at Davis IP.
Qualifications
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Diploma of Business – TAFE Queensland, Australia
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Graduate Certificate in Trade Mark Law – University of Technology Sydney, Australia
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Registered Australian and New Zealand Trade Marks Attorney