Forresters has new managing partner
A SPECIALIST patent and trade mark law firm has a new managing partner. Matt Shaw has taken over the role at Forresters in Birmingham from Lloyd Hoarton who is retiring after nearly three decades with the practice.
Mr Hoarton joined the firm 29 years ago as a trainee patent attorney and says he has seen incredible changes in the profession.
“When I joined as a trainee in 1992, everyone was dictating onto tape and we joked about previous generations who had dictated onto wax cylinders,” he said.
“I was responsible for installing the first computer with email and internet access at Forresters using a screechy dial-up modem for patent searching.
“It has been a brilliant job which I have enjoyed very much and continue to enjoy after all these years.
“I’m lucky enough to have generated patents protecting technologies in the medical environment which have greatly improved the quality of life for a lot of people.
“They have helped get people with significant pain back to enjoying an almost normal lifestyle - those technologies
made a dramatic difference to their lives.”
Looking ahead, he added: “I want to spend more time with my family and also get more involved in a few community activities.
“I am looking forward to spending my time in retirement doing exclusively non-IP things.”
Mr Shaw, who has been a partner with the firm since 1994, said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Lloyd whose outstanding knowledge and experience have strengthened our reputation as one of the world’s leading intellectual property firms.”