Rebecca Frith

Rebecca is a dual qualified UK (Chartered) and European Patent Attorney working in our Engineering & ICT team. She advises technology companies on protecting complex hardware and software innovations, with particular expertise in electronics engineering and computer‑implemented inventions, including artificial intelligence (AI). She works closely with clients’ technical and commercial teams to ensure her advice is clear, practical and aligned with their wider business objectives.

Working collaboratively with electronics and software engineers, Rebecca translates system‑level design decisions into robust patent applications, particularly where hardware and software intersect. Her approachable, engineer‑friendly style helps bridge the gap between complex technical discussions and effective patent strategy, and she supports clients throughout the full patent lifecycle, including drafting, prosecution and opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office.

AI & Machine Learning Focus

Rebecca has a particular interest in AI and machine learning, especially where models are deployed within or alongside electronic systems. She has practical, hands‑on experience building and testing machine‑learning models, including neural networks for signal processing and computer vision applications, using frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow and Keras.

She is an active member of the firm’s AI team and contributes to internal and external thought leadership on the patenting of AI‑related technologies, including issues around emerging technologies and evolving legal landscape in this area.

Areas of Expertise

• Digital and analogue electronics
• FPGA design, embedded software
• Sensors and control systems
• Telecommunications
• Computer software and computer‑implemented inventions
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, including computer vision
• Hardware platforms for deploying AI and machine‑learning models

Clients

Rebecca regularly acts for a range of clients, from large multinational companies across Europe to UK‑based SMEs and research groups. Rebecca has experience working with overseas clients and attorney firms, particularly in the US.

Background

Rebecca holds a first‑class MEng degree in General Engineering from Durham University, where she specialised in electronics. Rebecca was awarded a Royal Engineering Design Prize for her work on a UAV designed for air‑based search and rescue. Her master’s research focused on the application of machine‑learning techniques to audio signal processing.

Before joining Mewburn Ellis, Rebecca worked for several years as an electronics and firmware engineer at a technology consultancy, delivering R&D projects for the defence and aerospace sectors. Her hands‑on experience includes analogue and digital electronics, FPGA design, radar systems, and radio communications, as well as the development and testing of machine‑learning models in real engineering contexts.

Rebecca joined Mewburn Ellis in 2021. She qualified as both a UK and European Patent Attorney in 2024.