Seán Harte

Seán Harte is based in our Dublin office and his focus is on fintech, computer implemented inventions, software, electronics and optical networks. His deals with all aspects of IP law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, design rights (registered and unregistered) and trade secret/confidentiality issues. He has a passion for innovation management and IP strategy development.

Prior to joining Murgitroyd Seán held senior roles at Mastercard and Eaton.

Whilst at Mastercard Seán had oversight of Mastercard’s IP outside of the Americas. He represented Mastercard on the EMV standards body from a legal IP perspective and collaborated in developing the IP policy of the Nexo payments standard. Seán has extensive experience IP due diligence including due diligence, acquisition and integration phases of acquisitions and joint ventures. He supported Mastercard Labs in the transformation from card based payments to a digital payment infrastructure along with Mastercard’s cryptography team, and crypto-currency developments. He managed numerous innovation events from an IP perspective and conducted employee education training globally.

At Eaton Seán was the Chief IP Attorney for Europe reporting to Eaton’s CTO, supporting Eaton Research Labs and the digitisation focussed Centre for Intelligent Power. His role encompassed in IP protection, IP strategies and IP analytics for directing technology roadmaps. including responsibility for the management of a multi-million dollar annual budget. Seán was a Director of Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (EIPL) a company holding Eaton’s product IP and had responsibility for management of EIPL’s portfolio including both intra-group and external licensing agreements, acquisition and divestiture of IP, working cross-functionally with Tax and Transfer Pricing teams around BEPS requirements.

He was an Associate Member of the epi ICT Thematic Group that drafted the epi’s Amicus Curiae submitted to the Enlarged Board of Appeal in the G1/19 case. Seán is a member of CIPA’s Computer Technology Committee and IP Commercialisation Committee and is a former member of the Councils of both the epi and CIPA.

Seán has been an invited speaker at numerous IP events throughout Europe, speaking on a wide range of diverse IP topics focussed on computer implemented inventions and commercial aspects of intellectual property.