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How do the pressures of the IP industry intersect with men's mental health, and what strides are being made to address them? Joining Lee and Gwilym this week are Graham Mccartney and Richard Wells, who shed light on Jonathan's Voice, a charity dedicated to supporting mental health in the IP sector. They also give insight to the amazing work of IP Inclusive, who promote and improve EDI and wellbeing throughout the UK’s IP professions.

Looking back over the past decade, significant progress in mental health support within the IP community is evident. But there is always more to be done.

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CIPA members have played a key role in the success of Prince William's increasingly influential Earthshot Prize, the multi-million pound annual environmental awards.
This year the awards were held in Cape Town and Deputy Chief Executive Neil Lampert was among the invited VIPs. Neil talks to Lee about his chats with past CIPA-nominated winners and finalists - and hopes that CIPA members can play an even more important role in supporting Earthshot finalists.
Read more about the 2024 winners and the awards ceremony on the Earthshot website.

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Ever wondered how a casual chat about football and shirts can effortlessly lead to a deep dive into equity, diversity, and inclusion within the intellectual property profession? That's exactly what happens in this episode as Lee reminisces about his unexpected participation in a football tournament, setting a relaxed and humorous tone before we dive into the serious topic at hand. We then introduce our brilliant guests— Beatrice Malacart, Lianne Da-Cunha, and Riddhi Patel, trainee patent attorneys at Forrester's—who share their unique journeys and emphasize the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment in the IP field. 

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You don't need to like cats for this blog, but it does help. This week Lee and Gwilym are joined by guests über-blog IPKat! Annsley Ward and Rose Hughes talk about how to write engaging content, why its important to keep up to date with the biggest stories in IP and future plans for the blog.

If you haven't read the blog yet you can take a look here: https://ipkitten.blogspot.com/

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It's Associations Week! Lee and Gwilym sit down with CIPA staff members Frances Bleach, Dwaine Hamilton, Amy Williams and Iain Ross to talk about how CIPA has grown as a Membership Association, the changes they've seen throughout their time here and what drew them to work within a membership organisation.

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Two IPs in a Pod brings you it's first ever Pubcast! It's a long awaited reunion for Lee and Gwilym as they record their first ever in-person episode alongside CIPA President Alicia Instone, former President and Chair of Congress Committee Julia Florence and Head of Membership Dwaine Hamilton. Over a beer or two they give a roundup of CIPA Congress, hopes for IP in future UK innovation strategy and why now is the best time to volunteer for CIPA. 

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Gwilym's gone AWOL. So Producer Fran joins Lee in conversation with institute staff to discuss how CIPA has emerged from lockdown stronger than ever. Hear how staff met the challenge posed by COVID and innovated during the pandemic, bringing new events, and services to members and rebranding the institute.

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What are the do's and don'ts of business development and marketing for IP firms? Bernard Savage from business development agency Size 10 1/2 Boots talks to Lee and Gwilym about how to spot business development opportunities, creating engaging content that reaches a wider audience and taking a different approach to promoting IP to businesses. 

For more information take a look at the Size 10 1/2 Boots website: https://tenandahalf.co.uk/

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83% of food that is thrown away in Europe is still edible, Solveiga Pakštaitė and Mimica are helping to tackle this problem. Solveiga and her patent attorney Barbara Cookson talk to Lee and Gwilym about the evolution of the Mimica Gel from its inclusive roots, through to the early patenting journey - including trying to write her own patent application - and how the invention is preventing food waste and encouraging sustainability.

For more information on Mimica, check out their website: https://www.mimicalab.com/

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Steve Rowan spent 28 years at the UK Intellectual Property Office before becoming a Vice-President of the European Patent Office, based at The Hague. Lee and Gwilym chat with Steve about the new virtual world, including the big switch to video conferencing and what the future might hold.

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Two peas or not Two peas, that is the question... Or is it? Luke McDonagh, scholar of Intellectual Property Law at the London School of Economics, joins Lee and Gwilym to talk about his new book on theatre and copyright, beginning in Elizabethan London and taking us through to present day litigation. Luke talks about how copyright of theatrical work emerged, the intersection of law and theatre and how theatre changed it's response to copyright law over the centuries.

Luke's book, Performing Copyright; Law, Theatre and Authorship is available now: https://www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/performing-copyright-9781509927043/

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How do you stay up to date with all the latest news from the world of IP? By reading the blog IP Draughts of course! This week Lee and Gwilym are joined by Mark Anderson and AnnMarie Humphries to talk about why they started IP draughts, the work of Anderson Law LLP and all the latest IP news. 

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Robots are sexy... and reasonable! Ryan Abbott, author of "The Reasonable Robot", professor of Law at the University of Surrey, physician scientist and acupuncturist, joins Lee and Gwilym for our second installment of our Artificial Intelligence series. Ryan talks about the debates surrounding AI being listed as the inventor on patent applications (DABUS), the future of AI in IP and the wider legal system.

You can find the link to Ryan's book "The Reasonable Robot" here: https://ryanabbott.com/publications/

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Get ready to explore groundbreaking legal insights with Dr Tim Sampson, a seasoned barrister specialising in intellectual property and construction law. 

In this episode, Tim joins Lee and Gwilym to discuss a landmark Supreme Court case involving trade mark infringement. Tune in to hear about the complexities of defending his clients and gain an understanding of how the court's fresh perspective on director liability in IP law offers a fairer playing field for honest directors. 

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There's a rogue pea in the pod! Past CIPA President and head of IP Inclusive Andrea Brewster is our guest host for Mental Health Awareness Week. Lee and Andrea are joined by Mental Health consultant to Jonathan's Voice, June Dent and Tim Fray from Loven Patents and Trademarks to talk about mental health in  IP. They talk about the work of Jonathan's Voice in helping leaders look after their team's mental health, what we get right or wrong when addressing wellbeing in the workplace, and the importance of feeling valued and listened to.

If you are struggling with your mental health here are some useful contacts:
informalswelfare@gmail.com
Jonathan's Voice (jonathansvoice.org.uk)
Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Legal… | LawCare, 0800 279 6888
Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen 116 123

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What is the relationship between rights and recipes? Laura Clews from Mathys and Squire takes Lee and Gwilym through the world of food and IP, from warring caterpillar cakes through to protecting trade secrets, recipe hacking and patenting innovation within the food industry.

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Tim Moss is back! This time he tells Lee and Gwilym about the Intellectual Property Office's new Digital Strategy and how the IPO has been managing throughout the pandemic. 

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It all started with a dart board... Sport is a huge driver of innovation. You have to continuously innovate to perform better than your competitors and even simple innovation can significantly enhance an athletes performance. Matthew Fletcher and Anne-Marie Conn from Abel and Imray take Lee and Gwilym through the importance of protecting these innovations, litigation and how patenting helps companies stay competitive. 

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How do the patent system and the development of vaccines sit together? 

This week on Two IPs in A Pod, Anton Hutter of  Venner Shipley and Frank Tietze of Cambridge University join hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts to chat through their views on COVID 19, vaccines and the IP industry. 

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Can somebody please help Gwilym find out what a meme is?! This week we’re joined by Rebecca O’Kelly-Gillard to chat about the role of IP within Social Media. Copyright still exists within social media, but how do you protect your rights and enforce them on platforms designed to share content? Rebecca takes Lee and Gwilym through the role of your Digital Footprint, cross platform content rights, common social media myths, and advice for small businesses selling through social media.

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Is Norman a good name for a robot? This week Lee and Gwilym are joined by IBM's Anita Shaw, Manny Schecter and Rashik Parmar to take an exciting dive into the world of AI. Starting with the question, what is AI, through to the future effects it could have on the world of work, innovation and patentability. 

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Today is International Women in STEM Day. To celebrate, Lee and Gwilym are sitting down with three female Patent Attorneys, Olivia Johansson, new council member Monika Rai and CIPA President Alicia Instone to talk about why they chose to pursue STEM, what can be done to encourage more girls to be involved and why we need more female role models within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics sector. 

 

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It's Season 3 and we kick off with a story unlike any other. Lee and Gwilym chat with former CIPA President Tibor Gold about his extraordinary life, from fleeing Nazi Hungary as a Jewish refugee in World War II through to his life as a patent attorney, becoming CIPA President and his recent work to improve the inclusivity and diversity of the IP professions. 

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IT'S CHRISTMAS! But not as we know it. Lee and Gwilym console each other about being in Tier 4. Gwilym has coronavirus, but thankfully it's not affecting him badly enough to stop him podcasting. They look back on their favourite clips from Season 2, which featured judges, inventors, patent exam candidates, a focus on diversity and IP in North America and China.

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Join Lee and Gwilym in the last of the Pubcast special episodes as they chat with Ed Bray from DeepRender about how AI is reshaping the patent world. Ed explains his professional journey from solicitor to inhouse patent attorney at a tech startup and how his experiences helped shape his current role. There is also a discussion on the current limitations of AI and and the broader challenges within the patent system.

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Lee and Gwilym talk rock 'n roll,  meeting different US Presidents, patent eligibility, the Unwired Planet UK court decision and its international influence - and lots more - with Judge Randall Rader, Former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. They also discuss holding hearings by videoconference following the recent decision by the European Patent Office to make ViCo the default for all hearings below appeal until autumn 2021. 

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If you're wondering what effect a Biden US presidency will have on intellectual property, we have some answers for you. Lee and Gwilym have a transatlantic chat with our good friends at the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC). President, Stephanie Chong of Hoffer Adler LLP , Toronto, and her Vice-President, Louis-Pierre Gravelle, of Robic, Montreal, update us on the latest Canadian patent and trade mark news. As well as casting an eye across to their North American neighbours, they explain current patentability issues in Canada and talk about IPIC's successful IP public awareness campaign. The episode ends with an illuminating chat about what is being done to encourage diversity and inclusion at leadership level in IP on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Question: What links zombies, nose studs, rescue chickens and dinosaur backpacks? Answer: CIPA's incoming President for 2021, Alicia Instone.  Lee and Gwilym chat with Alicia about the can-do attitude that has been the hallmark of her career, the importance of having a broad IP practice and her hopes for raising awareness of how to maintain good mental health. (Episode acronym key: Patcom = CIPA Patents Committee; ANIPA = Association of National IP Associations.)

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Interested in a career as a lawyer specialising in intellectual property and want to find out more? The charity IP Inclusive works to increase diversity and through its Careers In Ideas campaign, is raising awareness of different IP career paths. This week is Careers In Ideas Week and IP Inclusive is working with organisations who support under-represented groups such as BAME students, disabled people and women in STEM, to provide a focus on social mobility and access to the professions. Our hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts learn more from IP Inclusive's Andrea Brewster, Chris Burnett, Julie Barrett and Tom Hailes.

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China is the second-largest economy in the world and the UK's fifth biggest trading partner. Speaking to our co-hosts Lee and Gwilym about the improving IP environment in China as it moves from a manufacturing to an innovation-based economy are Adam Williams, Director of International Policy at the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Conor Murray, the IPO's attaché for China, and CIPA's Council's resident China expert, Daniel Chew, of Haseltine Lake Kempner.

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When CIPA launched Two IPs In A Pod in March 2020,  the European Qualifying Exams had just been cancelled and there was real concern about whether this year's UK Qualifying Exams for patent attorneys would be held this year. Chatting with Lee and Gwilym about the success of the first ever UK online qualifying exams, held in October 2020, are trainee attorneys Joel Briscoe,  Kevin Rich and Amelia Barton.

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It's Halloween! We’re delving into the world of strange and unusual patents with CIPA council members Tim Jackson and Joel Briscoe. Be prepared for some wacky inventions and truly terrifying jokes. 

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We're deep into autumn with winter around the corner. Lee's been on jury service and Gwilym's been buying waterproofs to avoid COVID-related indoor queuing. Providing us with a contrasting view of intellectual property from America's Golden State is Christopher J. Palermo, a partner in the Palo Alto, California office of Baker Botts LLP. Chris speaks about being interviewed by Steve Jobs, the importance of university innovation to Cali's thriving IP economy, the patenting of artificial intelligence, the effect the pandemic is having on the interchange of ideas and ethical issues around IP and COVID vaccines. 

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Lee and Gwilym's guest this week is such an IP VIP that he barely needs an introduction. Sir Robin Jacob was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal in October 2003 and continues to sit from time to time in the Court of Appeal. He is also wonderful speaker and raconteur, so sit back and enjoy an armchair chat with one of the UK's most influential figures in IP.

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Discussions around diversity within the IP profession are more important than ever. Women in IP have been working to highlight the benefits of gender inclusion within the profession and work towards greater equality. This week co-hosts Lee and Gwilym are sitting down with Susi Fish and Joanna Conway from Women in IP to discuss how the committee has developed over the years, what makes a good ally and the challenges facing working parents when balancing careers and family life. 

Keep up to date with all the latest updates with Women in IP here: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/community/women-in-ip/

You can sign up to the "How to be a better ally" webinar here: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/events/how-to-be-a-better-ally-answers-to-those-questions-youve-always-wanted-to-ask/

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Lord Justice Colin Birss returns for this special Pubcast episode. Join him, Lee and Gwilym in the Lamb Pub as they explore the transformative potential of AI in the legal profession, the benefits of expanding diversity in judiciary recruitment and recent developments in the Unified Patent Court and the UK's Civil Procedure Rules. There is also an interesting discussion about Cheese...

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At least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year. This plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris and can end up severely injuring, or killing, sea creatures. The wonderful people at Recycling Technologies decided to do something about this situation by recycling plastic into new products. Hosts Lee and Gwilym chat with Marvine Besong, Technical Director of Recycling Technologies, about the company's innovations and the importance of patenting them.

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Schools are back and so are we! Hosts Lee and Gwilym are opening Season 2 with special guests, Chris Clarke, Debra Smith, Caelia Bryn-Jacobsen and Kerry Russell from IP Ability. In this episode, we discuss how the committee promotes improvement within the profession surrounding ability and accessibility. They touch on how we can be inclusive of all different types of disabilities, making adjustments in exams for learning disabilities and how events and conferences can be made more accessible. 

For all the latest updates on IP Ability events take a look at their website: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/community/ip-ability/ 
You can also sign up to Kerry's webinar on Invisible Disabilities here: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/events/invisible-disabilities/
And Caelia's webinar on Dyslexia and Dyspraxia here: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/events/dyslexia-and-dyspraxia-demystified/

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What a season it's been! We've had presidents, inventors, judges and a fluffy unicorn called Steve. Join Lee and Gwilym for a special episode where we take a look back at some of the highlights from Season One, including an unlikely appearance from an Alexa... 

Thank you to everyone that's tuned in so far. It's been a great season and we can't wait to be back for Season2!

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The first season of Two IPs In A Pod is coming to an end – and what an ending we have for you! António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office, tells Lee and Gwilym how the EPO’s plans to digitise and virtualise the EPO’s services have been accelerated in response to the coronavirus pandemic. And in an exclusive for the podcast, he confirms that the European Qualifying Exam (EQE) will be held online next year. CIPA’s own President, Richard Mair, joins the conversation to explain how his plans for 2020 were impacted by COVID-19 and how CIPA has responded to the crisis.

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Sir Colin Birss is among the most influential patent judges in the world and is UK intellectual property royalty. Hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts ask Sir Colin about his life before the judiciary - and Lee finds out they have more in common than he imagined. They discuss the need for more IP judges, the success of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the international influence of the UK courts.

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The CIPA staff have been reviewing the way they support BAME communities within the IP industry. We've realised that, while there has been progress with diversity in the sector, it needs to take a front seat in the way we think from now on. In a special episode of Two IPs In A Pod, Chief Executive Lee Davies and Honorary Secretary Gwilym Roberts talk with staff members Kathryn Espino, Kereiss Isles and Dwaine Hamilton about their personal experiences with racism and explore the challenges that they face on a daily basis. We at CIPA HQ are no longer comfortable acting passively on this. The need to speak out and challenge others and ourselves is crucial in order for us to move forward, no matter how uncomfortable the conversation. Only then we will find out what we can do individually and collectively to be better allies in diversity. 

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Punctures are the bane of life for cyclists. So entrepreneur Richard Adams has come up with a solid, lightweight rubber tyre which he sells through his company Gecko Rubber. He realised early in his journey that he needed to protect his invention and so turned to Chartered Patent Attorney Tom Turner of Abel and Imray for guidance and expertise. Richard and Tom chat with co-hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts about advice for start-ups, effective patenting and business strategy and other applications for the expanded rubber invention - including as a bumber for overly amorous tortoises. 

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Former Culture Secretary Chris Smith, since 2005 The Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury, chats with regular hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts about his work as Chairman of the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) and his life in parliament. He explains his interest in intellectual property and what he really thinks about patent and trade mark attorneys. There's a discussion about the role of IP during the pandemic and how the UK has handled the crisis. We also get an update on Lee's sex-mad tortoise.

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You've discovered that someone has ripped off your patented product, copied your trade mark or breached your copyright. Your intellectual property has been infringed. But you can't afford to defend yourself in court. You need to apply to IP Pro Bono for help! IP Pro Bono is a scheme offering free legal support to individuals and small firms involved in IP disputes who can't afford to pay. His Honour Judge Hacon hears such cases in the UK's pioneering Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Judge Hacon and IP Pro Bono's Stephen Jones and Kate O'Rourke tell regular hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts how the court has been operating during the pandemic, how to apply for help and how interested lawyers can offer their services.

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This week we have a wide-ranging chat about diversity, including sexuality and racial inequality, the mental strain of isolation, the rise of video conferencing and its use in patent hearings...and unicorns and more tortoises! Chartered Patent Attorney Darren Smyth, a partner at intellectual property firm EIP and head of its practice group, joins regular hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts for this episode.

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What if your favorite hobby could transform into a career that connects you with thousands of like-minded enthusiasts? In this episode, we explore the fascinating journey of Kyle Ashman, a dedicated football shirt collector whose daily posts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have turned him into a social media influencer. Alongside returning guest Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard, Kyle shares the story of his evolution from a modest collector to a sought-after content creator, attracting brand collaborations and building a vibrant community. 

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Few have had a more stressful and exhausting time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic than members of the Intensive Care Society, working at the frontline of the crisis. Co-hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts chat with Sandy Mather, Chief Executive of the ICS, about the dreadful emotional and physical toll that dealing with the virus has exerted on her members. She thanks Lee for the advice and assistance that CIPA staff have given to her team on the delivery of webinars. Joining them is Julian Smith of Memcom, the organisation behind the annual awards and conference for the membership sector. With CIPA's main conferences moving online later this year, Julian gives his insight into Memcom's online event next week. He and Gwilym also discuss the question of where intellectual property starts and finishes, including globalisation and the disappearance of borders. If you wish to make a donation to support intensive care professionals visit the society's DONATE page here.

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Lockdown has disrupted life for everyone. But for students revising for exams that have been cancelled for 12 months, it has delayed a vital stage of their professional development. Co-hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts speak with three student patent attorneys: Carolyn Palmer of Schlich who is Honorary Secretary of the CIPA Informals (an informal association of all trainees and a committee of CIPA); Kevin Rich of Potter Clarkson and Joel Briscoe of HGF. They discuss the frustrations of having a year added to their training and call on the Patent Examination Board to introduce online examinations, in line with many other legal professions. We also learn that Lee's tortoise, Albert Treacle, is trying to mate with an old pair of Crocs™. 

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Coronavirus lockdown has created different pressures for us all. How is it affecting those in the intellectual property field and how can colleagues and managers best help those in need of support? Our co-hosts Lee Davies and Gwilym Roberts chat with: Andrea Brewster, Chartered Patent Attorney and Lead Executive Officer of IP Inclusive; Ben Buchanan, Deputy Director of Patents at the UK Intellectual Property Office and its diversity and inclusion champion and CIPA's own Fran Bleach, Membership Officer and mental health first aider. They discuss how to maintain team cohesion, the importance of managers showing vulnerability, random acts of kindness and ways to keep people connected. Lee's sex-mad tortoise and the importance of birdsong also come up...