Panel discussion and networking
with Women in IP and their allies
Tuesday 21 June 2022
5.30 – 6.45 pm
With some regret, we decided to pivot this event to a fully virtual format to take account of the threatened rail and tube strikes. However, we also kept the Zoom meeting open for a while at the end so people could stay and chat if they wanted. We still had an excellent turnout online and were grateful for everyone’s understanding.
We plan to organise a follow-up event on the same topic later in the year, to give our supporters an opportunity to meet in person and continue the discussions we started on 21st June. It’s an important topic and it’s not likely to go away any time soon…
Women in IP’s 2022 annual flagship event was hosted by Gowling WLG.
Our theme was “Mind the Gap” – inspired by Mary Ann Sieghart’s book The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men, and what we can do about it. There was certainly no requirement to have read the book before the event, although if you get the chance, it will very likely inspire you to learn more about what we can do to narrow the “Authority Gap”.
We hosted a panel discussion with audience Q&A, followed by the chance to chat with other attendees about the issues raised. We welcomed everyone in the IP professions, of all genders, to this entertaining and thought-provoking event.
Huge thanks to Gowling for their generosity, their IT support and their promise to host a replacement in-person event for us soon.
Meet the panel
The discussions were moderated by Kate Swaine, Co-Head of IP at Gowling WLG, and our panellists included:
- Anna Elagina – Finance Director at Boult Wade Tennant
- Gordon Harris – International IP Leadership at Gowling WLG
- Sadia Salam – Executive Coach, Inclusion Facilitator, Speaker & Recovering Lawyer of 20 years
- James St Ville QC – 8 New Square
- Lucy Wojcik – Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Ocado Group plc
They discussed their experiences of the Authority Gap and the unseen bias at work in our everyday lives, and provided tips as to what individuals, partners, parents, colleagues, employers, teachers, the media and governments can do to narrow the gap. We also opened the discussion to the audience for questions and further advice.
Follow-up resources
In case you missed it, or would like to watch again or share with a friend, you can access a recording of the event here. We particularly recommend sharing it with EDI allies. There is also a write-up of the event here.
Cost
This event was free. So are all our resources. We think it’s important to keep IP Inclusive on the right side of the paywall.
That said, we do need money to keep the show on the road, so if you enjoyed the event please consider contributing to our 2021-22 fundraising campaign. For more information – including about corporate donations – visit our fundraising page.