Who Are The People Behind Alexander Ramage Associates?
The firm was established by trade mark professionals
to specialise in trade marks. The practice is owned and managed by
the experienced Trade Mark Attorney team of Eric and Maggie Ramage,
working with their dedicated fully trained staff. All client work
is handled by or under the direct supervision of a qualified professional.
Although based in Surrey the firm attracts clients from
all over the United Kingdom and overseas. Many are from the west coast
of California where Maggie practised before her marriage in 1988.
B.A. (ERIC) RAMAGE (Partner, trade mark attorney, trade mark and design litigator)
Eric is a fellow of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, practising exclusively in trade marks and designs. Having read Economics and History at Strathclyde University he joined the trade mark profession in 1969, and qualified in 1972. He is a Trade Mark Attorney on the UK register of Trade Mark Attorneys, and a European Trade Mark Attorney practising before OHIM (the European trade marks office based in Alicante, Spain). He has completed the Nottingham Law School course in trade mark litigation and was accredited as one of the UK's first specialist Trade Mark and Design Litigators.
After spells in private practice and industry, Eric was one of the founding partners in a trade mark practice established in Lincoln's Inn in 1978, and became the trade mark partner of the patent attorneys with which it later amalgamated. He left that practice in 1989 to establish Alexander Ramage Associates. He has tutored Advanced Trade Mark Law and Practice at the annual residential crammers for the Institute's final examinations for entry on to the register of trade mark attorneys, and has lectured on similar courses and lecture programmes for many years. He is now a member of the Joint Examining Board. Eric was on the Institute's governing Council for many years and is currently a member of its Litigator Conduct Committee. He is now a member of Council of the European Community Trade Mark Association (ECTA), and is Chair of its Internet Committee. Indeed, Eric takes a very keen interest in Internet issues, and has been an appointed member of the Policy Advisory Body of the UK domain naming authority, Nominet UK, since 1999, and is now its Chairman.
Eric is a member of the International Sheep Dog Society and owns and exhibits a vintage truck. He shares an enthusiasm for canal boats with his wife and partner Maggie, and has been trying, since 1963, to find time to master the five string banjo.
MARGARET RAMAGE (Partner, trade mark attorney)
Maggie is a UK Trade Mark Attorney and a European Trade Mark Attorney. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and is active on its governing council where she is the current 1st Vice President having previously acted as Treasurer. She is also a member of INTA, ECTA and of MARQUES.
Maggie studied trade mark law while working in patent administration, and in 1982 became head of European Trade Marks for the California-based Raychem Corporation. She was seconded in 1987 to the Corporation's Head Office near San Francisco, where she took responsibility for world-wide trade mark affairs. She later returned to England to marry, becoming assistant trade marks manager of the then Beecham Group (now part of GlaxoSmithKline) before moving to British Telecommunications as Trade Marks Manager. Maggie became a partner in Alexander Ramage Associates in 1991. Her clients include start up firms and multi-nationals and range from medical practitioners to financial institutions, bath and beauty care specialists and mobile telecom providers.
Her hobbies include walking her three border collie dogs, and spending time on her canal boat.
PHILIPPA FRAYNE (Associate, trade mark attorney)
Philippa is a UK registered Trade Mark Attorney, and a European Trade Mark Attorney practising before OHIM. She joined Alexander Ramage Associates in a paralegal capacity in 1990, after spending some time working in Belgium, and decided to qualify as a Trade Mark Attorney after studying for the examinations of the Institute of Legal Executives. In addition to being a Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, Philippa is also a member of the European Communities Trade Mark Association.
Philippa has a very strong private client base, but has considerable skills in portfolio management, having acted for a number of multi-national clients over the years. Philippa enjoys aerobics, running and any fitness-oriented outdoor pursuits.
PAUL KELLY (Associate, trade mark attorney)
Paul started his career in 1986 with the Irish Patent Office. While there he took a Diploma in Legal Studies and in 1989 moved to England to join the trade marks department of a multi-national brand owner based in London. In 1993, he moved to Manchester and sat and passed the final examinations to qualify as a UK trade mark attorney. For the next fourteen years Paul worked for some of the top flight trade mark firms in the Midlands and London before returning to Ireland in 2007 for personal reasons. In 2008 Paul returned to England to resume his career as a UK Trade Mark Attorney with Alexander Ramage Associates.
Paul takes a keen interest in soccer, but refuses to divulge the identity of his favourite team.
SANDRA WALLER (Associate, European trade mark attorney)
Sandra joined Alexander Ramage Associates in 2009 to strengthen our developing domain name practice. She is an experienced European Trade Mark Attorney practising before OHIM, and has extensive experience managing litigation both in domain name and trade mark issues. She started her career in trade marks in 1991 working for a multinational brand owner having extensive interests in household products and OTC pharmaceuticals. In 1994 Sandra was appointed trade marks manager within the household group with particular responsibility for air care, hard surface cleaners and fabric care. She subsequently took responsibility for managing all domain name registrations for the group, during which time she developed the group strategy on domain name management and attendant litigation.
Having taken her degree in Art History, Sandra retains a keen interest in that subject and is a Member of the Association of Art Historians. She also spends as much leisure time as possible walking with her West Highland terriers in the Scottish Borders, where she has a cottage.
Assisted By:
TANYA WALLER (trade marks assistant)
Tanya joined the firm in 2008 and is currently training to become a trade mark attorney. She studied at Liverpool University (where she was Captain of the fencing team). She has a BA (Hons) in Egyptian Archaeology and an MA in Egyptology. Tanya works with Maggie and acts as Eric's assistant in domain name management.
CLARE ROLFE (trade marks assistant)
Clare also joined the firm in 2008, and is training to qualify as a trade mark attorney. She holds the degree of LLB (Hons) from the University of Surrey and took the Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Guildford College of Law before joining the firm. Clare usually assists Eric and Paul.
BERNADETTE ABELA (records supervisor)
Bernadette joined the firm in 1997 after working for trade mark and patent attorney firms in England and Hong Kong. She has extensive experience of records and formalities.
BECCY LEHEC (renewals supervisor)
Beccy initially joined the firm in 1994 to work as Eric's secretary, before leaving temporarily to start her family. Following her return Beccy trained to take over the role of renewals supervisor.
SANDIE COX (head of accounts, and company secretary)
Sandie has been with the firm since 1993, and heads up the accounts department. Sandie also acts as the company and partnership secretary to the firm.
WOKING
LONDON POOLE
20 High Street, Woking, Surrey, England, GU21 6BW
Tel 01483 750701, Fax 01483 740560, Email ARA@Ramage.co.uk