CPD seminars, webinars and social events

For a complete list of CIPA events please see the website – www.cipa.org.uk/events.

Strategies for the UPC: from tech start-up to big pharma

Webinar

Tuesday 31 January 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67

• Free for CIPA members

This long-awaited panel session brings together representatives from across industry to give their views on the unitary patent and the UPC. Originally scheduled as part of (the unfortunately cancelled)

In-house attorneys from BAE, IBM and MSD are joined by private practice attorneys to discuss strategy options for the new system in their respective technology fields, and to comment on how these strategies might vary for different types of clients, from start-ups and SMEs through to multinationals.

Speakers : Belinda Gascoyne (IBM EMEA & AP), James Horgan (Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC), Rachel Bateman (D Young & Co)

Tips for EPO Appeals Proceedings

Webinar

Tuesday 7 February 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67

• Free for CIPA members

The 2020 Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal have been in force for three years. This webinar will include a practical overview of points to remember in order to optimise your case on appeal.

Speakers : Lucy Samuels, John Fisher (Gill Jennings & Every LLP)

Updates on China and Hong Kong IP practices

Webinar

Tuesday 14 February 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67

• Free for CIPA members

Another year has passed, and there has been many changes in the China and Hong Kong patent practices, including:

• China’s crack down on abnormal patent filings.

• China’s first drug patent linkage decision. Changes to China’s patent practice to bring it more in line with the rest of the world, including: restoration of priority;

– correction of application filed based on incorporation by reference of the priority document; – finalising partial design practice; and abolish 15-days mail period.

• Hong Kong’s purge of unqualified ‘agent on records’.

Speaker : Toby Mak (Tee & Howe)

UK IPO Search Symposium

Webinar

Thursday 16 February 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

Back by popular demand, this webinar gives an unparalleled insight into what really happens when a UK application moves through the searching stage, or when a request for a search at the UK IPO is made. How do examiners really use the claims in deciding how to search your application, and how might this impact on your drafting? How does the approach of the IPO differ from the EPO, and how might you be able to use this knowledge to your advantage for your clients? Searching at the IPO is significantly more economical than at some other Patent Offices, and this webinar unpicks why. You choose which breakout room to attend for practical search demonstrations by IPO experts in your chosen technical field to make the most of this opportunity.

After a brief introduction to the search tools use at the IPO, attorneys will have a choice of breakout rooms to view a worked example of a search, followed by a Q&A with the examiner. There is a choice of one of five subject specific rooms:

• Video Encoding chaired by Andrew Rose;

• Pharmaceuticals chaired by Natalie Cole;

• Biotechnology chaired by Katie Harbach;

• Excluded Business Methods (and Robots) chaired by Rob Valkass;

• Mechanical Connectors chaired by Michael Shaw

All presentations will cover the tools and techniques IPO examiners use during a search, as well as claim interpretation. The excluded matter presentation also covers how they decide to whether or not to carry out a search in the first place.

Speakers : Peter Mason, Stephen Otter, Rob Valkass, Dr Natalie Cole, Dr Andrew Rose, Katie Harbach, Michael Shaw (UK IPO)

The UP and UPC from a paralegal perspective

Webinar

Tuesday 28 February 2023 : 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

This webinar aims to cover the basics of the Unitary Patent and Unitary Patent Court from a paralegal perspective. It will include topics such as:

• An introduction to the Unitary Patent.

• Transitional measures.

• The sunrise period (opt-outs).

• Procedural implications; forms, fees, and translations.

• An introduction to the Unitary Patent Court.

• A discussion of the possible advantages and disadvantages of the system.

The webinar will be a pre-recorded one but our speaker will be available to answer questions at the end.

Speakers : Charlotte Knight (Slingsby Partners LLP)

An Introduction to Standards, Standard Setting Organisations and Standard Essential Patents (SEPs)

Webinar

Thursday 2 March 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1.0 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

An introduction to the basics of what standards are, how they created and how patents relate to them. It will also briefly touch on the legal issues surrounding these patents – known as standard essential patents.

Speakers : Adrian Howes (Nokia), James Seymour (EIP)

Mental health matters; finding a balance

Webinar

Tuesday 28 March 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • Prices: £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

This 60-minute session is aimed specifically at those working in ‘support’ roles; e.g. administrative staff, IT support, paralegals. We will be exploring:

• Why looking after your mental health at work is important.

• Results from the IP Inclusive/Jonathan’s Voice Wellbeing in the workplace survey 2022.

Regional Meetings 2023

Yorkshire – Leeds

Thursday 23 February

Radisson Blu Hotel, The Light, The Headrow, Leeds LS1 8TL

Merseyside – Liverpool

Thursday 9 March

Innside By Melia, 43 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9PP

East of England – Cambridge

Thursday 23 March

Clayton Hotel, 27-29 Station Rd, Cambridge CB1 2FB

Wales – Cardiff

Thursday 20 April

Voco St. David’s, Havannah Street, Cardiff CF10 5SD

Scotland – Glasgow

Thursday 18 May

Hilton Grosvenor, 1 -9 Grosvenor Terrace, Glasgow, G12 0TA

Midlands – Birmingham

Thursday 25 May

Clayton Hotel, Albert Street, Birmingham, B5 5JE

• What next? Finding a balance.

• Some ideas for protecting your mental health and wellbeing.

There will be the opportunity for an optional ten-minute mindfulness practice after the end of the main session.

Speaker : Penelope Aspinall (Jonathan’s Voice)

Trade mark registration in China

Webinar

Tuesday 4 April 2023 • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

Trade mark registration strategy for China – Practical tips to navigate the complexities in the trade mark system. It is no secret that China is the most difficult jurisdiction in the world to secure a trade mark registration. Whilst China continues to top global trade mark application numbers in recent years, will your applications be one of the successful ones amongst almost 8 million marks on the register? In this talk, we will discuss the practical tips to maximise the chances of successfully registering your trade marks; ways to broaden your trade mark protection in China as bad faith filings continue to be a serious problem to foreign entities trying to secure trade mark protection in China. We will also talk about China’s efforts in cracking down on bad faith filings.

CITMA members can also book on this webinar, email cpd@cipa.org.uk.

Speakers : Hank Leung and Stephanie Ning (Bird & Bird)

Doctrine of equivalents: equivalence in Europe?

Webinar

Tuesday 25 April 2023 • 12:30-14:00

CPD: 1.5 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

Although the UK lately came into line with its own version of a doctrine of equivalents embracing Article 69 EPC and its Protocol, we still see significant differences between claim interpretation approaches across Europe. Here, our panel covering Germany, Netherlands, France and UK will look at comparative practices covering issues including discrepancies between novelty and infringement interpretation, adoption of the Formstein Defence and effects of file wrapper estoppel, based on a practical example. Spoiler alert: there’s no great equivalence between our approaches to the doctrine of equivalent!

Speakers : Gwilym Roberts (Honorary Secretary, CIPA), Dominic Adair (Bristows LLP), Daan de Lange (Brinkhof), Kai Rüting (Vossius & Partner), JeanHyacinthe de Mitry (Gide Loyrette Nouel)

Student Conference

Birmingham

Thursday 27 April 2023 • 09:30-19:00

CPD: • £115

Malmaison Hotel, 1 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RD

We are happy to announce the second CIPA Student Conference will now be held on Thursday 27 April 2023 at the Malmaison Birmingham.

The conference is tailored specifically for our student members who are no longer new starters. Working together with the Informals Honorary Secretary, we have put together a programme we hope provides useful information and support for our trainees regardless of how far down the process of becoming qualified they are. Sessions and speakers include:

• Post Qualification Guidance Panellist

Discussion - Philip Lenden, Simplify IP and Rose Hughes, AstraZeneca

• Introduction to Informals & IPReg

- Kathryn Taylor, Ocado

• Building Business Relationships

- Michael Evans, BDforIP

• Managing Stress - Penelope Aspinall, Jonathan’s Voice

• The New EQE - Julia Gwilt, Appleyard Lees

Semiconductors: how the industry has changed and implications for IP strategies

Webinar

Tuesday 16 May • 12:30-13:30

CPD: 1 • £66.67 • Free for CIPA members

Global chip shortages have pushed semiconductors firmly into the public eye. During the Covid-19 pandemic we saw a surge in demand for semiconductors. This increase in demand combined with the disruption caused by the pandemic demonstrated the fragility of semiconductor supply chains. This has led many governments to offer significant funding and other incentives to companies in the sector to improve domestic supply chain resilience. In addition, China and the US are clashing over semiconductor technology, with the US implementing various restrictions on the export of key technologies.

What does all this mean for IP? In this webinar we’ll take a closer look at the semiconductor sector and the issues that have arisen since the start of the pandemic. We’ll examine how IP is used to protect semiconductors and some of the key challenges that exist. We’ll look at how IP strategies need to adapt in the face of a changing industry. Finally, we’ll examine some of the trends emerging in patent filings and litigation in the sector.

Speaker : Andrew Thompson (EIP)

London Happy Hour

Wednesday 1 March 2023 • 18:00-19:30

Free for CIPA members

Editor’s Tap, 5-11 Fetter Lane, London, London EC4A 1BR

Come and join fellow CIPA Members at the first London Happy Hour event of 2023 at the Editor’s Tap on Fetter Lane. Places are limited so please book your place now. www.cipa.org.uk/events/london-happy-hour-2023