Home » Meet our team

Britta Fromow

Consultant

Wellington
+64 4 891 0199
Email Britta
LinkedIn profile

Britta is a lawyer and patent attorney with almost 20 years’ experience in patent drafting and prosecution, advising on freedom to operate, and registering designs. Her specialist area is mechanical engineering, electronics, medical devices and agri-technologies.

Before becoming a patent attorney, Britta gained first-hand experience of the R&D process through working in manufacturing and IT. With such a practical background, she readily understands the needs of her clients and relates easily with designers, engineers and business owners alike.

Britta is renowned for providing clients with practical, tailored solutions to protect and commercialise their innovations and for developing intellectual property strategies specific to business needs.

Britta represents New Zealand in an international organisation that engages with Patent Offices around the world to assist with harmonisation and effectiveness of design laws (among other things). She frequently consults to companies seeking expert advice and presents papers on IP topics to universities and industry groups.

Outside of work, Britta enjoys sailing, skiing, reading and spending time with her family. You might also occasionally find her in the skies, enjoying her love of flying light aircraft.

Service Areas

Experience

Early in her career, Britta worked in engineering, manufacturing and IT, for the likes of Carter Holt Harvey Plastics and Cardax International. Here she experienced first-hand, the process of bringing ideas to market.

Subsequently, and before becoming a registered patent attorney, Britta worked at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand where she gained a thorough understanding of the official process involved in registering IP rights. As a patent attorney, Britta achieved much before joining James & Wells in 2020 as a Partner in Catalyst IP and prior to that as a Partner in Baldwins IP.

Britta assists a range of clients from entrepreneurs to corporates. She enjoys helping companies achieve growth and gain value as a result of a sound intellectual property portfolio. For example, developing and implementing an intellectual property strategy for a well-known New Zealand company, resulting in its sale for several million dollars and international recognition, based on the strength of its intellectual property.

Britta has also recently successfully defended a company in relation to a copyright litigation.

Qualifications & Memberships

  • Bachelor of Technology (Hons) (Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies)
  • Bachelor of Laws
  • Registered Patent Attorney – Australia and New Zealand
  • Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
  • New Zealand representative of the Patents Consultation Group before IP Australia
  • Council member - The New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys (NZIPA)
  • Member - International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
  • Member - FICPI CET2 Group (Registered Designs)

Recently published by Britta

  • Intellectual property protection has always been important to the food/beverage and packaging sector. Patents and registered designs are tools that are frequently used to protect new technologies in this space. But not all patents are created equal… and things are about to change.

    18 May, 2021 Read more

  • The effects of the global pandemic on New Zealand businesses vary widely. If your business is undergoing change right now, then intellectual property rights are likely to be an important consideration for you. We share some key points to be aware of as you negotiate these turbulent waters.

    15 September, 2020 Read more

  • James & Wells is delighted to announce that Britta Fromow has joined our firm. Based in Wellington, Fromow has been welcomed into the firm’s growing Mechanical Engineering Team, where she will enhance the already strong James & Wells patent practice.

    5 May, 2020 Read more