I am both a registered Australian and patent and trade mark attorney and a South African patent attorney. Although I practice in all aspects of intellectual property, I have a particular interest in preparing, filing and prosecuting patent and design applications. I entered the patent attorney profession in 1997 after graduating with a Masters degree in chemical engineering specialising on the combustions synthesis of aluminium nitride. Having worked in boutique-sized firms for most of my career, I have had the privilege of working with clients from a wide range of technologies. These include chemical and mineral processing, mining equipment and detonation systems, the steel industry and wind power technologies, packaging and consumer goods made from cardboard and injection-moulded plastics, automated filling machines and food processing, as well as agricultural machinery and diverse layman inventions.Before moving to Australia, I gained extensive experience in filing and prosecuting patent and design applications in most of the various African countries where my firm, Dr Gerntholtz Inc, acted as a central hub for many foreign attorney firms and large multinational corporations. I have been able to put this knowledge to good stead in Australia in advising local clients.I have also assisted a number of my clients in disputes relating to patents and registered designs and have successfully defended my clients against alleged patent infringement before the Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa.