1983
Graduated from Sophia University with BS in Applied Chemistry
1983
Itoh & Company (Patent Firm)
1985
Registered as patent attorney
1987
Joined Dow Chemical Japan (1988-1990: Worked at Dow Corporate Patent Dept. in U.S.A.)
1989
Promoted to General Manager, Patent Dept., Dow Chemical Japan
1993
Joined Pfizer Japan as International Patent Manager, Patent Dept.
1995
Promoted to General Manager, IP Dept., Pfizer Japan
2001
Joined Abe, Ikubo & Katayama
2003
Received LLB from Chuo University
2005
Qualified as patent attorney admitted to practice intellectual property infringement litigation
2010-2011
Visiting Professor at Renmin University of China
2022
LLM, George Mason University School of Law
・Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA)
・International Activity Center of JPAA
・AIPPI
・IP Committee of Japan Science and Technology Agency
・Institution of Professional Engineers (Biotechnology), Japan (ex-member of PIPA,JIPA and JPMA)
Hiroshi Kobayashi is a partner in charge of the Patent Filing & Prosecution Division of Abe, Ikubo & Katayama. He has over 14 years of industry experience as intellectual property counsel. At Dow Chemical, he set up the Japanese patent operation at Dow Japan, where he handled numerous patent matters in the field of chemicals, polymers and agrochemicals. He also worked as a general patent counsel at Pfizer Japan’s IP Department, and was responsible for handling numerous patent and trademark matters in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, in addition to global IP management with the Corporate Patent Department. Mr. Kobayashi represents national and multinational corporate clients in the field of pharmaceuticals, biotechnologies, chemicals, agrochemicals, polymers and food sciences. He serves his clients as counsel in matters of IP counseling, domestic and foreign patent prosecution, patent infringement and validity opinions; patent litigation support, and patent education.
Recognized as “IP Star” in Patent Filing & Prosecution, Oppositions & Appeals, Strategy & Counseling and Patent Litigation by Managing Intellectual Property (2015 – 2020)
Recognized in “The World’s Leading Patent Professional” by IAM Patent 1000 (2016– 2020)
Recognized in “The World’s Leading IP Strategist” by IAM Strategy 300 (2017-2018)
“Recent Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Related Court Decisions”, Drafting Pharmaceutical Patents, Gijyutsu-Gyouhou Kyoukai, p263-290, 2005
“Daily Research and Patents”, Protein, Nucleic Acid and Enzyme, Vol. 49, No. 8, 2004
“Globalization of Corporations and IP Management”, Kagaku Keizai, Vol. 12, 2001
“Claim Construction in Recent CAFC Decisions (Part II)”, (co-author), Intellectual Property Journal, Vol.49, No.10 (1999), pp1425-1442
“Claim Construction in Recent CAFC Decisions (Part I)”, (co-author), Intellectual Property Journal, Vol.49, No.9 (1999), pp1263-1280
“Effectively Obtaining U.S. Patents (2nd Edition)”, (co-author), issued by Japan Intellectual Property Association (1998)
“Study on Decisions relating to Non-obviousness of Substance Inventions (U.S.A.)”, (co-author), Intellectual Property Journal, Vol.47, No.7 (1997), pp921-939
“Recent Development of CAFC decisions relating to 35 USC§103 in Chemical Inventions” (co-author), Intellectual Property Journal, Vol.46, No.7 (1996), pp1043-1055