UK government backs diversity task force

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

UK government backs diversity task force

A group of professional bodies that represent IP attorneys in the UK have created a diversity task force to consider ways of widening access to the IP profession

baroness-neville-rolfe.jpg

The move has the support of the government. Last week Baroness Neville Rolfe, the UK’s IP minister, (pictured) gave a keynote speech at a roundtable hosted by CIPA to kickstart the work of the task force. Managing IP also attended the roundtable.

The task force is a joint initiative of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA), the IP Federation and the UK Association of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI-UK).

In a statement, the groups said they are committed to making the IP professions more inclusive.

“We believe that there is value, not only to the professions and their individual members, but also to the IP system as a whole and its users, in ensuring that the IP professionals of the future encourage, embrace and sustain a more diverse workforce.”

“We will work together to ensure that for all those who have the necessary aptitude, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability, wealth or background, the IP professions are welcoming, accessible, respectful and supportive.”

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Alston & Bird acted for InterDigital, while Samsung was represented by Fish & Richardson, during the arbitration process
Powell Gilbert lawyers reveal how they navigated parallel EPO proceedings and collaborated with European peers to come out on top in the Nordic-Baltic Division’s first judgment
The firms posted increases in revenue and profit per equity partner, with both giving a nod to their IP expertise
EasyGroup, the owner of the easyJet airline, said in a press release that UK-based first-instance judges are “less experienced”, bringing a long-running debate back to the fore
A cross-practice team from Mayer Brown, which included members of the firm’s IP practice, advised on the deal
María Cecilia Romoleroux discusses the challenges she has faced in her career in IP and how she hopes to improve things for the next generation of women
Value-added services give in-house counsel the satisfaction that they are getting more value for money, while law firms get the opportunity to win more work
A team at Boies Schiller Flexner is advising shoe company Kizik and parent company HandsFree Labs in the dispute
Nokia’s latest enforcement actions against Geely and Transsion joining Via LA’s AAC pool were also among the top talking points
Benjamin Kelly, the firm’s fifth IP partner hire in a little over one year, has experience in patent and trade secret disputes involving complex technologies
Gift this article