Murgitroyd is an international firm of intellectual property attorneys headquartered in Glasgow, specialising in patents, trade marks, designs and copyrights.

Consulting

Murgitroyd

John Gilles is a Human Resources, Programme & Project Management specialist with national and international experience across Spirits & Wines, Transport, Policing, Oil & Gas and Further Education. Intellectual Property has now been added to that portfolio.

Whilst undertaking varied HR leadership roles, John developed significant experience in leading and enabling change across both private and public sector operating models.

John is Global People Director at Murgitroyd and is based in the firm’s Glasgow Office.

Areas of expertise include: HR strategy development; strategic business partnering; organisational development and change; staff engagement; employee relations; internal and external stakeholder engagement; reward management; equality & diversity; training & development; policy development; health, safety & well-being; resource management; systems development & implementation; planning & performance management.

John Gillies

Helen joined Murgitroyd in June 2021 and leads business operations.  Based in our head office in Glasgow, Helen works with colleagues across our international office network, bringing a particular focus to strategic delivery, operational efficiency and the use of technology to enable scalable growth.

A member of the company’s Leadership Team, Helen also brings her considerable experience in both human resources and legal professional services to supporting and developing the people talent within the company.

A Chartered Fellow of CIPD, Helen has a background in business management, operations leadership and organisational development through previous roles in the UK and Ireland and is dedicated to delivering an excellent experience for both clients and colleagues.

Helen Archibald

Joanne Lecky graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with an LLB in law with french. As part of her undergraduate degree, she spent a year studying law at the University of Limoges in France, obtaining a Diploma in French Law. Joanne then completed a Master of Science degree, her dissertation covering the protection of software as intellectual property.

She worked in-house as an intellectual property advisor for a US technology company prior to joining Murgitroyd in 2002. Joanne is a qualified trade mark attorney in both the UK and Ireland, and is Managing Director of Murgitroyd Trade Marks Group. Joanne was appointed Director of Trade Marks in 2012.

A member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, Joanne has presented to the Law Society in Belfast. She also regularly lectures undergraduate law students at Queen’s University.

She helps clients with trade mark clearance searches and protection as well as IP audits, licensing and dispute resolution.

Joanne has experience in representing clients before the UK Intellectual Property Office and the EUIPO in oppositions, revocations and invalidity actions. Her clients range from large corporations to small and medium sized companies in a diverse range of industry sectors.

Some of Joanne’s major clients have been in the following sectors: Fashion, retail, food and beverage, FMCG, media and entertainment.

Joanne is based in Ireland.

Joanne Lecky

Jamie Leliever is the Chief Marketing Officer at [Murgitroyd](/org/murgitroyd). Jamie has also worked as the President & Founder of Mediplay, Inc and as a Franchise Owner of University Meal Deal, Inc. Jamie has always had a passion for helping others and making a difference. Jamie was motivated to start their own business in order to have more control over their time and to make a positive impact on their community. Jamie is a strong leader with a proven track record of success. Jamie is passionate about their work and takes pride in their accomplishments.

Jamie Leliever has a background in executive management and leadership from [Duke University](/org/duke-university), as well as post graduate studies in logistics, materials, and supply chain management from [East Carolina University](/org/east-carolina-university). Jamie also holds a BSBA in marketing from [East Carolina University](/org/east-carolina-university). In addition to their educational credentials, Jamie also has two certificates; one in business negotiations from [Duke University](/org/duke-university) and one in Early Response Team (ERT) from the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

They are on a team with Mary Quinn - Human Resources Director, Thomas Gibb - Head of Professional Practice, and Michael B Chernoff - Managing Director, Strategic IP Services. Their manager is Gordon Stark, CEO.

Jamie Leliever

Keith Young is currently the Chief Financial Officer at [Murgitroyd](/org/murgitroyd). Keith previously worked at [KPMG](/org/kpmg) from September 1988 to December 1995 as a Chartered Accountant.

Keith Young received a BAdmin (Hons) from the University of Dundee in Accountancy, Economics and Law. Keith also attended High School of Dundee.

Some of their coworkers include Mary Quinn - Human Resources Director, Mark Hickey - Managing Director, Trade Marks, and Michael B Chernoff - Managing Director, Strategic IP Services. Keith Young reports to Gordon Stark, CEO.

Keith Young

Gordon Stark’s core area of expertise lies in the field of biotechnology, with a particular focus on novel biologics and immunotherapeutics, such as antibody and peptide-based therapies. He has significant experience in developing patent portfolios around new therapeutic and diagnostic products, and advises on both patentability and freedom to operate aspects related to those.

Gordon’s proactive and engaging approach particularly lends itself to working integrally with small and medium-sized biotechnology companies, developing their IP estate to derive maximum return from their spend.

His scientific background includes a first class Honours degree in immunology from the University of Edinburgh and research at the Roslin Institute. He has an established track record of advising both developing and mature life science companies. Notable involvement in this area includes drafting the patents around a biologic currently undergoing phase two clinical trials, and leading the IP strategy that helped a client secure the second highest biotechnology-related fundraising in Europe during 2009.

Joining [Murgitroyd](/org/murgitroyd) in 1998, Gordon initially spent six years in the Glasgow head office, before moving to Dublin to manage the office there for three years. In 2007, he returned to his home town of Edinburgh to head up the newly-opened office there. Gordon oversaw the management of the company’s offices in Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin and Helsinki, and operations and business relationships in Japan.

In 2012 he took on the role of Chief Operations Officer. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in June 2020.

Gordon Stark

Thomas Gibb is the Head of Professional Practice at [Murgitroyd](/org/murgitroyd). Thomas has over six years of experience as a patent attorney, including drafting and filing patent applications, patent prosecution, oppositions, appeals, and other contentious matters. Thomas qualified as a UK and European Patent Attorney in 2018. Prior to their career in law, Thomas co-founded FlowMicrofluidics, a company that produced microfluidic devices for scientific research.

Thomas Gibb has a PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College London, an MSci in Natural Sciences (Materials Science & Metallurgy) from the [University of Cambridge](/org/university-of-cambridge), and is a Fellow of the Institute of Patent Attorneys and a Chartered Patent Attorney from the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys. Thomas is also a European Patent Attorney from the European Patent Office.

Thomas Gibb works with Keith Young - Chief Financial Officer, Michael B Chernoff - Managing Director, Strategic IP Services, and Keith Jones - Managing Director, Patents. Their manager is Gordon Stark, CEO.

Thomas Gibb

Keith Jones is an experienced patent attorney who entered the profession in the late 1980s straight from university, where he studied applied physics and electronics. Getting into the profession happened as much by accident as design. Having contemplated a career in research and development, shortly before graduating Keith stumbled across an advert for a trainee patent attorney role. It intrigued him – and he’s never looked back.

He’s worked in a number of patent firms and in-house patent departments in the UK, specialising in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications for electrical, mechanical, electronics and software inventions. He also deals with patent appeals and oppositions, patent infringement and validity analyses, and IP strategy and management.

While Keith mainly handles patent portfolios for major companies in glass and glazing, automotive engineering, self-service terminals and semiconductor devices, he’s also worked with a diverse range of clients. He’s supported SMEs, universities and individual inventors across a broad range of technologies like medical devices, oil and gas engineering and telecommunications.

Keith’s career highlights include winning and developing a number of blue chip clients, taking on senior managerial and commercial roles, opening and growing new offices and running his own consultancy. He prides himself on being pragmatic and commercially-minded, and he takes a business-centric approach to IP.

Keith is based in the Newcastle Office. He also works closely with the team in York.

Keith Jones

Michael Chernoff was appointed Managing Director, Strategic IP Services in July 2020. Michael Chernoff has over 25 years of experience in the IP field and was previously the Chief Intellectual Property Officer of an investment bank, where he oversaw IP Strategy for the IP Development Services division of the Group.

Prior to heading up IP Strategy at the bank, he served as Director of Legal Services, Patent Operations at a Fortune Global 500 company, Michael began his career as a Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, examining mobile phone and hybrid video/communication patent applications. He has a J.D. from George Mason University and a B.S., Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Michael is ranked as one of the “World’s Leading IP Strategists” of Intellectual Asset Magazine’s IAM Strategy 300. He holds a J.D. from George Mason University, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Murgitroyd

Thomas Gibb

Head of Professional Practice

Roles at Murgitroyd

Head of Professional Practice

Gordon Stark

Murgitroyd's Leadership Team

Mona Neagoe

Sean Riordan