CIPA picks Cambridge for first non-London Congress

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys is to host its annual Congress outside of London for the first time this year, Managing IP can confirm.

A save-the-date notice with details of the event, seen by Managing IP today, January 31, was sent to CIPA members last week. The event will be held in Cambridge on October 3.

Daniel Chew, CIPA president, told Managing IP last year that he wanted to take the event outside London in order to make the association more accessible.

Chew acknowledged that some members might have preferred the event to be held even further afield from London, including in the north of England.

“I would like members to think that we’re making progress and if the event is successful, I’m sure there will be opportunities to host the event in different regions in future,” he said.

Chew said CIPA settled on Cambridge because it is close to London where the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys’ Open Forum will be held from October 4 to 7.

Cambridge is also an industry hub and the location should make it easier for in-house counsel to attend, he added.

CIPA will hold its second-ever student conference in Birmingham in April, as well as regional meetings throughout the UK in the first half of this year.

The Congress will be held at the Hilton Cambridge City Centre Hotel.

Last year’s event was cancelled due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, while the 2020 and 2021 editions were held virtually.