Partner
Chartered Patent Attorney
European Patent Attorney
UK Design Attorney
BSc Physics, University of Birmingham
PhD Nuclear Structure Physics, University of Birmingham
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Jo is one of the partners in the Engineering Group at Keltie and has worked as a qualified attorney in general physics and engineering fields for 20 years. She has a particular specialism in automotive engineering, in particular fuel injection systems and injection control strategies, but also with powertrain systems, brakes and engine control systems. Jo has worked with several prominent and multi-national companies in the automotive sector and has managed their extensive, global patent portfolios. She also advises on infringement and freedom-to-operate strategies.
In the wider field, Jo has worked across numerous other engineering technologies - from aerospace to haircare to vacuum cleaners. Before moving into private practice, Jo started out in the IP team at QinetiQ where she gained experience in defence-related technologies, working in the Electronics Department.
Whether they are start-ups, SMEs or large global corporations, Jo has a deep care for her clients and devotes time and energy to understand the philosophy behind her clients’ businesses, as well as understanding the people she works with there, so that her advice is perfectly tuned to the client from all angles. She believes that fostering good client relationships is key to providing the best advice and client service and her recommendation in the Legal 500 confirms that.
Consistent with her drive to understand clients inside out, Jo spent time on secondment at a UK-based engineering site to devise successful invention harvesting strategies and invention processing procedures for engineering teams, as well as advising senior management on patent strategy. She has more recently developed secondment arrangements at engineering sites for several of her team to benefit the client’s IP activities, encouraging those in her team to maintain her philosophy of exceptional client care.
Prior to her career in IP, Jo graduated in Physics from Birmingham University and completed a PhD in nuclear structure physics, where she worked as part of an international collaboration investigating nuclear fission. She remains interested in anything and everything to do with physics.
What people think about Joanne
IAM Patent 1000 2025: Joanne Hopley is “a thoughtful, articulate and responsive adviser. She drafts and prosecutes flawless patent applications, and provides valuable counsel on global portfolios.”
When speaking of Jo, clients have referred to her as “smart, fast and wise”, “j’ai confiance” and “very well appreciated by the inventors.”
Jo has also been recognised in Legal 500 2024 edition.
23.06.2025
Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day with Molly YauAt Keltie, we’re proud to champion the contributions of women in engineering and innovation. As part of our celebration of International Women in Engineering Day (#INWED) on 23 June, we’re spotlighting Molly Yau. Molly joined Keltie in 2024 as a trainee patent attorney after completing her Master’s in Biomedical Engineering.
05.02.2025
The role of patents in promoting AI investmentIn January 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle announced the AI Opportunities Action Plan. The Plan has three goals: (1) Invest in the foundations of AI; (2) Push hard on cross-economy AI adoption; and (3) Position the UK to be an AI maker, not an AI taker.
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