Mark Carmody

PhD, EPA, RPA, RTMA, CTMA

Director and Patent Attorney

An experienced and accomplished Patent Attorney with over 13 years’ experience, I have been a member of the PurdyLucey team since 2010.

I am a qualified European Patent Attorney (EPA), Irish Registered Patent Agent (RPA), a European Trade Mark and Design Attorney (CTMA) and an Irish Registered Trade Mark Agent (RTMA).

Further to completing my studies in University College Cork, where I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry in 2001, I also worked as a post-doctoral research fellow in UCC in the areas of genomic imprinting and the apoptotic pathways in Retinitis Pigmentosa. My research was published in peer-reviewed journals and I also presented my work at conferences in Ireland and abroad.

Because of this scientific background, my expertise lies in drafting and prosecuting Irish, UK and European patent applications in the fields of Life Science (Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Genetics, Biomarkers), Food and Dairy Science, Material Science, Medical Devices and Mechanical Devices.

On a regular basis, I assist Irish, American, Australian and Canadian clients with patent filing strategies, prosecution and contentious issues including patent infringement, invalidity and freedom to operate opinions of European patents; and European prosecution of Australian, American, Canadian, Japanese, South African, Korean, Irish and UK-originating PCT applications.

Before joining Purdy Lucey, I worked for two years with a Dublin-based Intellectual Property Firm and for three years in a Japanese Intellectual Property Law firm in Osaka, Japan, where I was the recipient of the firm’s Outstanding Valued Employee of the Year in 2007.

During my time working in Japan, I was involved in drafting scientific and legal briefs for high-profile litigation proceedings in the Japanese High Court between two well-known large pharmaceutical companies in the area of anaesthetics.

I am Chairman of the Law Committee of the Association of Patent and Trade Mark Agents of Ireland, and is also part-time lecturer at the Law Society of Ireland for their postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, and for the Certificate in Intellectual Property Rights Management. In addition, I am a student member of the UK Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys.

Outside of Intellectual Property, I have a passionate interest in wildlife and am a highly-regarded and award-winning wildlife photographer, having had photographs featured in international and regional magazines, periodicals and numerous books. I have published four books on Ireland’s birds entitled Shorebirds of Ireland (2009), Freshwater Birds of Ireland (2011), The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide (2013) and Ireland’s Garden Birds (2017) (all Collins Press, Cork), which showcases a selection of my photography.

  • 'I had the pleasure of working with Mark on several occasions on IP courses run by the Law Society and he is excellent with students and offers clear, practical and concise advice on several areas of IP, including the more technical and complicated aspects thereof. Mark mainly advised on Patent, Design and Copyright law and practice in Ireland and the EU and students found his sessions most enlightening, informative and, most importantly, comprehensible. The contribution Mark has made to the Law Society courses were so welcomed that we are delighted to have him on board for all our upcoming IP and technology related courses, both this year and next.'
    Helen Johnson, Barrister
  • 'Dr. Carmody has no problem working in divergent circumstances and in a multicultural workplace. During his stay at Shusaku Yamamoto, he dealt with a large and varied portfolio. Using his extensive and collegiate experience in combination with his legal expertise, he was fully able to provide useful commercial advice in relation to all patent matters.'
    Takeshi S Komatani - Patent Attorney, Japan
  • 'I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Carmody during my time in Japan with Shusaku Yamamoto Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. At all times Mark dealt with integrity and honor. He was never afraid of going that extra step to ensure the Client/Associate was fully satisfied with the work product. Dr. Carmody has no problem handling a large and varied portfolio. I have absolutely no reservations in recommending Dr. Mark Carmody.'
    Paul Johnson, IP Operations Manager, CSIRO