1) No going back: IP lawyers on switching to in-house
Our top story incorporated the views of several in-house counsel, including at Aston Martin, Dyson and Adobe, who explained why they left private practice careers to go in-house. A lack of time sheets and more flexibility were two of the top reasons given.
2) Beware the pay gap: lawyers who shun an in-house switch
Our second most-read story – the third in our three-part series on private practice v in-house – featured views of private practice lawyers who revealed why, despite many years in the job, they have not been tempted by in-house work. They said they would miss litigating and warned of a potential drop in pay.
3) PPH: diverging opinions at the USPTO and EPO
In this article we explored whether patent acceleration procedure the Patent Prosecution Highway is an attractive option, paying close attention to the EPO and the USPTO. Both offices, we were told, have diverging procedures, meaning the PPH is not always a useful option.
4) Lord Kitchin interview: ‘you have to balance reason with humanity’
The latest in our series of judge interviews was also popular. This time we spoke with UK Supreme Court justice Lord Kitchin who, less than a year into his role,talked about life at the Supreme Court and why – despite his extensive IP background – he is being excluded from one of the biggest patent cases in years.
5) AI and IP: the view from above
In this feature length article we spoke to the directors of WIPO and the EUIPO – plus in-house counsel – to gauge their views on AI, asking how the technology can help the offices be more efficient and whether job losses are inevitable.
