Louise Atkins
Louise is a Patent Attorney working in the Life Sciences sector. Her work includes drafting and prosecuting UK, European and International patent applications.
Areas of Expertise
Biochemistry, with a particular interest in:
• Plant and agricultural biotechnology
• Microbial inoculants for plant biocontrol and biostimulation
• Future food technologies
• Molecular biology
As part of her masters project, Louise worked in a coronavirus research laboratory investigating the immune response to nucleocapsid protein found within SARS-CoV-2.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Membership
- Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
Qualifications
- PEB Final Diploma Qualification (UK Patent attorney) (2025)
- PG Certificate IP Law (2023)
- MSci Biochemistry with first class honours (2021)
Education
- University of Bristol (2017-2021)
2 Contributions by Louise Atkins
PRACTICE NOTES
EU plant variety rights and plant biotech IP: CPVR eligibility, DUS testing, enforcement, breeders’ and farm-saved seed exemptions, patentability limits, NGT reforms, and Nagoya/GRATK disclosure
Intellectual property (IP) protection for plant-related inventions
Protection for plant-focused inventions is available through the patent system and through plant variety protection. Plant variety rights (PVRs) are an IP right granting the owner exclusive control over commercialisation of propagation material and permitting the collection of royalties, for example by granting licences to propagate and market the variety. This Practice Note sets out the IP protection for specific plant varieties, referred to as plant variety rights (PVRs) or plant breeders’ rights. It covers the EU framework for the Community plant variety right (CPVR). It details the validity criteria for PVR protection, the standards for infringement, and the compulsory licensing of PVRs. This Practice Note also considers patent protection for plant-related inventions, including groups of plants exhibiting a shared characteristic and plant protection products such as pesticides. For guidance concentrating on the UK framework for PVRs, see Practice Note: Plant variety rights and other plant-related IP protection—UK...
Life Sciences
PRACTICE NOTES
UK plant variety rights and plant-related patents: validity, DUS and denomination, EDVs, infringement, exemptions and farm-saved seed, compulsory licences, Brexit and CPVR, Nagoya Protocol and GRATK Treaty
Plant-focused inventions can obtain intellectual property (IP) safeguards through both the patent route as well as through plant variety protection mechanisms. Plant variety rights (PVRs) constitute an IP right that grants exclusivity over the commercialisation of propagating material, allowing the owner to earn royalties, for instance by lawfully licensing others to multiply and sell the variety. This Practice Note sets out the IP protection for discrete plant varieties, referred to as plant variety rights (PVRs) or plant breeders’ rights. It outlines the UK framework, in particular under the Plant Varieties Act 1997 (PVA 1997), governing UK PVRs. It details the applicable criteria for validity, the infringement assessments, and the circumstances for compulsory licences of PVRs. The Note additionally also addresses patent coverage for plant-related inventions, including groups of plants sharing a common characteristic and plant protection products, such as pesticides. For analysis confined to the EU system for the Community plant variety right (CPVR), see Practice Note: Plant variety rights and other plant-related IP protection—EU.
Plant variety rights (PVRs) Legal framework in the UK
The Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) underpins the legal basis for IP protection in this field overall...
Life Sciences
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