Francisco Bernardo

Francisco Bernardo

Co-Founding Partner

Professional Qualifications

  • European Patent Attorney (EQE, 2004)

  • Université de Strasbourg, CEIPI, Diploma on patent litigation in Europe (2007)

Academic Qualifications

  • Universidad de Oviedo, M.Sc. Chemistry (1988)

Francisco was an ABG co-founding partner and co-managing director. He was a qualified European Patent Attorney (EQE, 2004). His practice focused on EPO oppositions and appeals, opinion work, portfolio management and advising in relation to IP strategy and litigation. Francisco advised major pharmaceutical companies in complex pan-European litigation cases and has considerable experience regarding Supplementary Protection Certificates for pharmaceuticals.

Before ABG, Francisco managed the patent department at Pharma Mar, S.A. (2001-03) and was an examiner at the European Patent Office in The Hague (1990-2001).

Francisco was member of the European Patent Institute Council (EPI) and member of its European Patent practice and Biotech Committees.

Passionate about his work, Francisco was a strong advocate of the system for protecting industrial and intellectual property, and he contributed to its dissemination in Spain by founding the EPI-CEIPI basic training course in European Patent Law in Madrid. His tremendous knowledge and involvement earned him the recognition and respect of the profession both nationally and internationally.

Francisco is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in English, French, German and Dutch.

Francisco Bernardo passed away on 31 October 2021 succumbing to an illness that he had suffered from for the past year. He was 56. Without a doubt, at ABG Intellectual Property we have so much to thank him for and we believe that carrying on his legacy is the greatest tribute that we can pay to him; but we miss him greatly.