About us

P.L. Berry & Associates has been providing Patent Attorney services from Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city, since 1956. We serve clients throughout the South Island, throughout the country, and throughout the world.

All our professional staff provide a full range of intellectual property advice, to help each of our clients choose an IP strategy based on their own particular needs, whatever they may be.

Principal – Elspeth Buchanan

B.Met. (Hons), C.Eng., MIMMM, FNZIPA
Registered Patent Attorney, New Zealand and Australia

Elspeth has been managing the practice since 1977, having originally trained in the UK. The experience of over 40 years in IP provides insight into all available options, as well as specialist skills in licensing and portfolio management.

Elspeth graduated from the University of Sheffield with an Honours degree in Metallurgy, and is a Member of the Institute of Metallurgy, Mining & Materials. She is a Chartered Engineer, and has agricultural experience including farm management, livestock handling and cropping.

Elspeth was selected by Thomson Reuters to write their New Zealand Trademarks Precedents, a how-to guide to assist lawyers in all steps of the trademark protection process. She is a regular guest lecturer on IP in the Engineering Faculty at Canterbury University, and has provided many industry seminars at the request of specific organisations.

Associate – Alan Chadwick

B.E. (Chem. & Proc.), FNZIPA
Registered Patent Attorney, New Zealand and Australia

Alan has a degree in Chemical and Process Engineering from Canterbury University, and a wide range of practical industry experience, including manufacture of printed circuit boards and plastic films, industrial water treatment and in the energy industry. As well as this technical expertise, he has worked in project management, sales and business management. He has a practical interest in computing hardware and software, and experience in IT management.

For over a decade, Alan has assisted his local clients in devising and implementing IP protection strategies, including obtaining New Zealand and international patent protection and trademark registrations. His practice covers a range of industries including software firms, wine growers, and heavy industrial equipment. He is also entrusted with New Zealand protection of pharmaceuticals by several large overseas producers.

Associate – Virginia Nichols

BSc(Hons), ME (Elec.), LLB, FNZIPA
Registered Patent Attorney, New Zealand and Australia

Virginia had her first working experience in IP in 1997, and worked part time in the industry throughout her time at Canterbury University before joining P.L. Berry & Associates full time. Her post-graduate research was in the Nanostructure Engineering Science and Technology (NEST) group, working on the fabrication, processing and characterisation of wide band-gap semiconductors.

As well as assisting both local and international clients in obtaining protection for their IP, Virginia has a particular interest in dispute resolution. She has experience in patent and trademark oppositions and in patent and copyright litigation, but also in obtaining negotiated settlements.

Technical Assistant – Karen Jackson

BSc(Hons) (Life Sciences)

Karen has a degree in Life Sciences (specialisation in biology) from the National University of Singapore, with a Joint Minor in Environmental Biology from the University of Toronto. Her studies in Singapore were the result of receiving the Asia:NZ Foundation Singapore Scholarship.

Karen is currently studying under Elspeth towards qualification as a Patent Attorney.

Legal Services

New Zealand law provides strict rules regarding services which can be provided by Patent Attorneys, and those which must be provided by a separate legal practice. We maintain a Barrister on retainer, contracted to provide to our clients those services we are unable to offer.