The room was packed at our now-annual IP Inclusive drinks reception following CIPA Congress on Thursday 19 September 2019. CIPA had kindly sponsored this free event for us, but it was open to all IP professionals, not just CIPA members, and Congress attendees were joined by others who’d come across for a little light networking after a day at the office.
Sadly our original speaker, Daniel Winterfeldt of the InterLaw Diversity Forum, had been called away on personal business (we hope to arrange for him to take part in another of our events soon). Our understudy Dr Bobby Mukherjee, Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property & Technology Law at BAE Systems plc, who was planning to talk about why diversity and inclusion matter to his company and the role of allies in his teams, was unfortunately ill and he too couldn’t be there. So instead we heard an update from IP Inclusive’s Lead Executive Officer Andrea Brewster, on the many things that have been going on this year and those still to come, including a call to arms for IP Inclusive Week (11-17 November).
Following Andrea’s talk, Joey Conway and Susi Fish, who co-lead our Women in IP community, gave us an update on their plans, with a trailer for the mentoring scheme they’ll be setting up soon. Susi also shared her personal thoughts about her involvement in IP Inclusive and why she feels so passionately about diversity and inclusion.
This was a largely social event, with drinks and canapés and plenty of opportunity to network with old friends and new in the stunning setting of the Congress venue, the QE II Conference Centre in Westminster. The level of enthusiasm in the room suggested that IP Inclusive still has plenty to look forward to…
The reception finished at 7 pm, just in time for the CIPA Annual Dinner.