Marco Spadaro Born in 1958. Graduated in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologies (1983, University of Milan, Italy). Assistant of the Head of Quality Assurance (Eurobase S.p.A., 1984). Thin Film Engineer and Environment Senior Engineer (SGS Thomson Microelectronics S.p.A., 1986); Patent and Trademark consultant since 1990 at Bianchetti Bracco Minoja in Milan; Head of the Corporate Patent Department at Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.p.A., including Sigma-Tau group Companies (Kenton Labs, Avantgarde, Biosint, Sigma-Tau Inc., Tecnogen, 1998); Patent and Trademark Attorney of counsel with the Firm Cavattoni Raimondi in Rome (2002); Italian Patent and Trademark Attorney, European Patent and Trademark Attorney - authorised to practice before the Italian Patent Office, the European Patent Office, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO – Geneva, Switzerland), the Office for the Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM – Alicante, Spain), the Community Plant Variety Office (CPOV – Angérs - France), for any matter concerning patents, utility models, design, trademarks and plant varieties. Founder and Partner of “Studio Associato Leone & Spadaro” (2006) Mainly focused in the drafting and the prosecution of patent applications, utility model applications and design registration in Italy, Europe, in the USA, in further foreign countries and under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (P.C.T.), in any field of the chemistry, and in particular in pharmaceutical, biotech, food, polymers, composite materials fields on behalf of Italian and International clients. Expert in setting out patent strategies and in patent portfolio management, in assisting clients for technical evaluations related to patent validity and patent bars. Specialized in patent searches, opposition procedures and technical expertises required in litigation proceedings before Italian and foreign Courts. Lecturer in specialization courses for IP operators from universities and industries, for patent practitioners and for patent formality paralegals. Member of the Italian Patent and Trademark Consultant Institute, the European Institute of Patent Attorneys (EPI). Tutor of the Centre d’Etudes Internationales de la Propriété Industrielle (CEIPI) Université Robert Schumann, Strasbourg (France). Coordinator of the CEIPI course in Rome. Appointed lecturer at the Patent Academy of the European Patent Office. Tutor of the Convey for Italian and European Qualifying Examinations. Languages: Italian (mother tongue), English, French.