We are pleased to announce that our colleague Hélio Roque has passed the rigorous test, European Qualifying Examination (EQE), that is required to work as a European Patent Agent before the European Patent Office (EPO).
EQE is well renowned for being extremely challenging and requiring extensive legal, technical, and strategic understanding in the area of intellectual property. This qualification enables him to represent clients in a variety of processes before the EPO, including opposition proceedings and patent applications, to mention a few.
Hélio Roque and his excellent interdisciplinary career
Since 2021, Hélio Roque has been a member of the Biotechnology and Life Sciences team of ABG IP. He prepares patentability and freedom-to-operate reports and drafts and prosecutes patent applications, particularly in areas like immunology, gene therapy, pharmacogenomics, molecular and cell biology, and diagnostic techniques.
His profile stands out for a solid scientific career and a strong interdisciplinary vocation. He holds a degree in Microbial Biology and Genetics from the University of Lisbon, a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Heidelberg and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and a degree in Computer Engineering from the Universidade Aberta.
He spent more than six years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford’s Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, where he studied the structure and regulation of cilia and how they relate to rare hereditary disorders. Additionally, he has published in major scientific journals including PLoS Genetics and eLife, and he has finished the European Patent Law Course at CEIPI (University of Strasbourg).
23 European Patent Attorneys at ABG
With this new accreditation, ABG IP has 23 European patent attorneys on its team, a figure that places us as the Spanish firm with the largest number of professionals authorized to represent clients before the EPO.
We are also proud to have two Portuguese attorneys on the team: André Santos and now Hélio Roque.
To date, only 43 professionals in Portugal held this qualification, a number that will increase slightly with the addition of those—like Hélio—who passed all four exams that make up the EQE this year.
A well-deserved recognition
The qualification of Hélio Roque as a European Patent Attorney marks a new phase in a career based on technical excellence, commitment, and an international mindset.
We at ABG IP are proud of his accomplishments since they demonstrate the ethos of ongoing education and specialization that defines our team.
Congratulations, Hélio!
