Barnfather

Your innovation and creativity safeguarded

The European IP firm that exceeds expectations.

Trusted. Passionate. Dedicated.

A commitment to excellence

About Us

Barnfather is a specialist European IP firm, dedicated to securing rights focussing on the High-Tech sector and offering deep expertise in European patent law. Founded by Karl Barnfather, a renowned patent attorney, the firm provides commercial, insightful, and excellent client partnerships.

With decades of experience handling complex European IP matters, particularly patents, our founder has built a reputation for meticulous, high-quality service, managing influential patent portfolios for leading tech brands. Our legal expertise and understanding of technological innovation ensure that every patent aligns with business goals and market dynamics.

At Barnfather, we understand the industry’s complexities and confidentiality demands. Our mission is to deliver clear, rigorous IP services, empowering clients to achieve their commercial goals. We seek to democratise access and understanding of the intellectual property system. It and we are here to serve the innovation and creative community.

Your innovation, your needs, and your direction all understood

Why choose us?

At Barnfather, we bring a holistic approach to IP, understanding that each stage of innovation to commercialization presents unique challenges and opportunities. Our full-service offerings — from trade secret strategy and patent prosecution to post-grant support and licensing — are engineered to align with the commercial goals of each client, protecting innovation and empowering companies.

With our wealth of experience and our growing team: highly skilled European patent attorney expertise is guaranteed. We stand as a trusted partner for innovators in the High-Tech sector, dedicated to delivering robust, practical, and commercially-minded IP solutions at every step. Our goal is to help clients not only secure but also maximize the value of their innovation, driving growth and success.

Vision and Ethos

Integrity

Transparency and ethical business practices

Striving to Exceed Expectations

Forward-thinking approach that challenges conventions

Excellence

Commitment to top-tier legal expertise and innovative solutions

We have a passion for IP, for innovation and for success. We thrive in helping our clients maximise the value of their ingenuity and creativity.

Our Services

At Barnfather we recognize that bringing your creativity and innovation from concept to commercialization is an intricate process, requiring thoughtful IP strategy at each stage. We are here to assist along the way:

Early Stage
Protection

Including securing innovation through Trade Secrets and ensuring appropriate commercial contracts for development, and possible auditing

Clearance
(Freedom-to-Operate)

Avoiding infringement and understanding the commercial territory sometimes through an IP mapping strategy

Patent drafting, filing
and prosecution

Expertly securing exclusive rights in focussed sectors and jurisdictions

Branding and Trademarks

Helping create, secure and build your distinctive identity

Launch

Maximizing market advantage through strategic understanding and research

Design
Registration

Protecting product aesthetics

Market presence, Value
and Commercialization

Enhancing value through IP, advising on licensing, scale and reach

Renewal and
Maintenance

Ensuring long-term IP value through on-going research and review

Outside IP Counsel

Your IP Team in Europe

Expertise & Collaboration

Our team brings together a wealth of European experience, combining technical depth with legal precision. With experience in engineering, software, and telecommunications, our attorneys understand the nuances of European IP law and its practical implications for businesses operating across jurisdictions. This diversity empowers us to deliver robust, commercially focused IP strategies, grounded in both legal expertise and sector-specific insight. Communication is the heart of our collaboration with you and among ourselves to ensure every solution is aligned with business goals.

Strategic Partnership

In an increasingly complex IP landscape, with UPC, EPO as well as national filing possibilities, our external perspective can offer clarity and strategic advantage. As trusted partners, we provide an objective lens to help clients identify risks, unlock value, and make informed decisions in Europe. Our flexible, responsive approach is tailored to meet the needs of each client—whether you’re a fast-moving startup, a scaling growth company, or a global tech leader. We adapt to you, integrating seamlessly with in-house counsel or acting as your dedicated IP team, delivering advice that is pragmatic, forward-looking, and always commercially aware.

Real Stories from Real Customers

Get inspired by these stories.

Superb leader and practitioner Karl Barnfather is an elite-level patent attorney who provides unfailingly solid IP along with business advice. He is uniquely gifted at helping clients extract maximum value out of their intellectual property.

IAM300

I cannot recommend Karl highly enough, and would urge potential clients to look no further.

CTO telecommunications and data company

Karl's expertise in handling difficult computer related inventions is pretty much unsurpassed.

Senior Patent Attorney

Karl is one of the most commercially minded, innovative and client focussed partners.

Professional Services Manager

Partnering with Karl… has been nothing short of transformative.

CEO Engineering Manufacturing Company

Coming to Barnfather

Our Founder’s Journey

1989

Fresh from a PhD in solid-state physics, Karl’s research focused on hydrogen-as-a-fuel. But seeing that a hydrogen economy was still decades away, he turned his sights to intellectual property—where science meets law meets strategy.

1990

Joining the UK Ministry of Defence, Karl reached the equivalent of Colonel (at least in terms of first-class train travel). Tasked with licensing government IP to private companies, he quickly learned that British firms preferred their tech cheap and preferably royalty-free. Time to try private practice.

1995

After cutting his teeth in a niche firm, Karl joined a major IP practice, broadened his technical scope, and qualified as both a UK and European Patent Attorney.

1996-2007

Karl launched and led his firm’s Birmingham office, becoming a junior partner. The branch grew rapidly, quadrupling in size and revenue, and Karl earned a reputation as one of the Midlands’ go-to patent attorneys.

1998

Recognising that commercialisation is the true purpose of IP, Karl attended his first LES International meeting in Edinburgh—a practice that continues today. Now an LES B&I Council member, he’s also helping to organise the 2026 international conference in Dublin.

2006

Appointed head of marketing and business development, Karl broke convention by hiring in-house professional marketers—unusual at the time. The result? A significantly raised profile for the firm and some major client wins.

2008–2024

Karl led a team specialising in electronics, physics, and computing, winning exclusive UK and primary European IP counsel roles for one of the world’s biggest tech companies. For 16 years, the team delivered across sectors including telecommunications, SEPs, and user interfaces.

2012

Karl became a qualified IP litigator via the “grandfathering” route—while raising three actual young boys at home.

2012–2021

Elected Chair of his firm, Karl steered it through European expansion, opening offices in Munich and Paris ahead of Brexit and commencement of the UPC.

2016

Passed the final viva to qualify as a UPC representative attorney—apparently thanks to a well-timed joke. Fortunately, the panel of judges had a sense of humour.

2025

Karl founded Barnfather, a specialist IP firm dedicated to helping high-tech innovators protect, leverage, and grow their intellectual property with strategic clarity and commercial focus.

Let’s Stay Connected

Protect your innovation, contact Barnfather today.