MIP podcasts

In the third episode of a podcast series celebrating the tenth anniversary of IP Inclusive, we discuss the ‘Women in IP’ network and the current state of diversity within the profession. 

Managing IP is proud to publish the latest episode in a series of podcasts celebrating the tenth anniversary of UK-based diversity network IP Inclusive.

The series is hosted by Managing IP editor Max Walters, alongside Jodie Bates, a member of the IP Inclusive advisory board and an IT trainer at patent and trademark attorney firm Boult Wade Tennant.

In this episode, the third of 10, we delve into the Women in IP network, assess the current state of diversity and inclusion in IP, and ask how allyship can work within the sector.

We hear from Mewburn Ellis partner Fran Salisbury, a founding member and leader of WoMEn (the Women of Mewburn Ellis Network) and a supporter of IP Inclusive. 

We are also joined by Vandita Chandrani, IP general counsel at Elekta. Vandita is deeply passionate about diversity and inclusion and is the D&I lead for the global legal team at Elekta.

The podcast is also available on the IP Inclusive YouTube channel.

IP Inclusive was set up in 2015 to promote and improve DEI and wellbeing throughout the UK’s IP profession.

It aims to ensure that the UK’s IP profession is open and welcoming to all those with the necessary aptitude, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexuality, religion, physical and cognitive ability, wealth, and background.

Previous episodes in the series have focused on the origins of IP Inclusive and its mission, as well as an episode discussing how workplaces can offer support to those experiencing (peri)menopause. 

Patent searches can be painstakingly detailed, but even the most experienced professionals can miss crucial prior art if they rely on a narrow set of tools. In this Managing IP podcast, produced in collaboration with CAS, Lucy Teixeira Antunes and Matt Garver lift the lid on some of the hidden sources of prior art that have surprised even seasoned intellectual property (IP) specialists – and explain why a multidimensional approach to searching is essential.

With a combined four decades of experience across chemical, biotech, and materials technologies, Lucy and Matt discuss the value of using multiple databases, the consequences of late-stage findings, and how automated and AI-assisted tools are changing the IP search landscape. They share stories from their own careers to highlight the risks of overlooking certain data sources.

Listeners will also hear how collaboration between R&D scientists and IP teams can shape a more complete understanding of the technology and competitive space, ensuring that searches not only reveal what is relevant today but also help anticipate what could matter tomorrow.

Tune in to discover how the right combination of human expertise, smart tools, and cross-disciplinary collaboration can transform your patent search strategy – before the hidden art finds you first.

In the second in a new podcast series celebrating the tenth anniversary of IP Inclusive, we discuss IPause, a network set up to support those experiencing (peri)menopause. 

Managing IP is proud to publish the second episode in a series of podcasts celebrating the tenth anniversary of UK-based diversity network IP Inclusive. 

The series is hosted by Managing IP editor Max Walters, alongside Jodie Bates, a member of the IP Inclusive advisory board and an IT trainer at patent and trademark attorney firm Boult Wade Tennant.

In this episode, the second of 10, we discuss one of IP Inclusive’s newest committees – IPause. 

The IPause community supports IP professionals who are going through, have gone through or expect to go through (peri)menopause, as well as people who want to support them. 

This episode delves into what (peri)menopause is, its impact on health and wellbeing, and how businesses can support those going through (peri)menopause.  

We hear from IP pause lead Jane Wainwright, a former patent attorney and now leadership coach. Andrea Brewster and Anne Burgato from the IP Inclusive executive team also join the podcast.

The podcast is also available on the IP Inclusive YouTube channel.

IP Inclusive was set up in 2015 to promote and improve DEI and wellbeing throughout the UK’s IP profession.

It aims to ensure that the UK’s IP profession is open and welcoming to all those with the necessary aptitude, regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality, religion, physical and cognitive ability, wealth, and background.

In episode one, we delved into the mission of IP Inclusive, from its origins to where it finds itself today. You can listen to that episode here, or on the IP Inclusive YouTube channel.

In the first in a new podcast series celebrating the tenth anniversary of IP Inclusive, we look back at the network’s origins and discuss its mission.

Managing IP is proud to publish the first in a series of 10 podcasts celebrating the tenth anniversary of UK-based diversity network IP Inclusive. 

The series will be hosted by Managing IP editor Max Walters, alongside Jodie Bates, a member of the IP Inclusive advisory board and an IT trainer at patent and trademark attorney firm Boult Wade Tennant.

In episode one, we delve into the mission of IP Inclusive, from its origins to where it finds itself today.

We hear from Andrea Brewster and Anne Burgato from the IP Inclusive executive team, and Jane Wainwright, a former patent attorney, now leadership coach, and long-time supporter of IP Inclusive.

IP Inclusive was set up in 2015 to promote and improve DEI and wellbeing throughout the UK’s IP profession.

It aims to ensure that the UK’s IP profession is open and welcoming to all those with the necessary aptitude, regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality, religion, physical and cognitive ability, wealth, and background.

The podcasts are also available on the IP Inclusive YouTube channel.

In the latest Managing IP podcast, Paul Peters and Rob Austin of CAS reveal how prior art can emerge from unexpected sources – and why these discoveries can make or break patent strategies.

The discussion explores the different stages where prior art plays a crucial role, from early ideation to post-grant opposition. Peters and Austin emphasise the importance of close collaboration between attorneys and intellectual property (IP) searchers to clarify exactly what evidence is needed to support or challenge a claim. Sometimes, that evidence comes from the most unusual places.

One oft-cited example is a 1949 Donald Duck comic showing how to raise a sunken ship with ping pong balls, which later scuttled a patent application. Another case involved a Dennis the Menace strip that depicted a dog opening a door, echoing a claimed invention. Even Steve Jobs’ 2007 keynote describing the iPhone’s bounce-back effect was used against Apple in a patent dispute.

Film has also provided ammunition: Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was cited in litigation over rounded-corner displays. More recently, YouTube videos have become a powerful source of non-patent literature, with examiners even timestamping moments to prove prior disclosure.

Chemical patents bring their own challenges. Austin recounts cases where safety data sheets or catalogue listings were decisive in invalidating claims by proving an ingredient’s properties or prior availability.

These stories underscore a central message: prior art can hide in plain sight, and skilled IP professionals are essential in uncovering it before it is too late.

Lauren Ross and Melissa Morris of Adams & Adams discuss the strategic opportunities and challenges in protecting non-traditional trademarks across the continent’s diverse legal and regulatory landscape.

It is becoming increasingly important to think beyond logos and brand names when considering the strategic potential of trademarks. A podcast sponsored by Adams & Adams explains why marks such as colours, shapes, and sounds can be powerful assets and explores how their protection and enforcement is handled in Africa. 

Adams & Adams partner Lauren Ross and senior associate Melissa Morris share their insights into the continent’s legal landscape with Phil Myers, the commercial editor of Managing IP. The podcast addresses the following key points, among others:

• Why non-traditional marks are of growing significance in terms of brand distinction globally;
• How key African countries and multinational organisations handle the issue; 
• The main challenges in the enforcement of such marks; and
• Best practices for law firms and clients in managing non-traditional marks.

Listen in as Lauren and Melissa explain the vital role of law firms as brands consider how to differentiate themselves in digital spaces – and how African frameworks are evolving to adapt to the new landscape.

We preview Managing IP’s ‘IP Ones to Watch’ list, meet our newest recruit, and look back over the final law firm rankings release of the year.

In this episode, the team previews our ‘IP Ones to Watch’ list, which showcases emerging talent in the in-house intellectual property world. The list will be published next month.

Editor Max Walters is joined by Sukanya Sarkar, our special projects editor, and Sanjana Mishra, our senior reporter for the Americas and Managing IP’s newest recruit.

We give a flavour of how ‘Ones to Watch’ is managed and why it is such a popular product. 

Elsewhere, we look back at the highlights from the IP STARS rankings for copyright and IP transactions work, the final firm rankings release of the year.

We also discuss the submissions process for next year's Awards and rankings. 

Managing IP will be hosting two live webinars about the submissions process in September. More information about the webinars can be found here.

Lastly, we discover how Sanjana Mishra has been navigating her first few weeks covering IP. 

We will be back with a new podcast episode soon. Thank you for listening. 

Heli Pihlajamaa, the EPO’s principal director for patent law and procedures, joins us to take stock of the unitary patent following its second anniversary.

In this episode, we bring you a unitary patent special.

The unitary patent and the associated Unified Patent Court (UPC) went live on June 1 2023. 

To mark the second anniversary, we caught up with Heli Pihlajamaa, the EPO’s principal director for patent law and procedures, to assess some of the trends so far.

Pihlajamaa is responsible for all patent law and procedural matters under the European Patent Convention and Patent Cooperation Treaty, including operational developments and policy. 

She also deals with all unitary patent-related tasks assigned to the EPO.

Managing IP editor Max Walters sat down with Pihlajamaa to discuss:

• The first two years of the unitary patent system, including the number of filings and key trends;
• Feedback from users regarding the benefits or challenges of the unitary patent system;

·       Information on how the EPO supports users in navigating the system, especially those unfamiliar with it; 

• What users can expect from the new case management system being jointly developed by the EPO and UPC; and
• What’s in the pipeline for the court

We will be back with a new podcast episode soon. Thank you for listening.

IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications.

In this special episode of the IP Lounge, Ewan Grist, partner at Bird & Bird, and Andy Lee, head of IP at Brandsmiths, join Managing IP editor Max Walters to discuss the Iconix v Dream Pairs trademark case.

Brandsmiths acted for Iconix, while Bird & Bird represented Dream Pairs in this closely followed case. The case had made its way through the courts, finally culminating in the UK Supreme Court’s ruling on June 24. 

Ultimately, Bird & Bird secured victory for its client. However, the Supreme Court’s decision also accepted some of the arguments put forward by Iconix, which could have a significant impact on future trademark law. 

More details of the case can be found here. 

In the podcast we unite the two litigating parties to dig into the ramifications of the case. 

On the agenda: 

• What must be considered when assessing “real and representative” circumstances regarding the similarity of trademarks;
• Post-sale confusion and how it can be a basis for trademark infringement even if there’s no confusion at the point of sale;
• The possible effects of the ruling on trademark applications and oppositions; and
• Whether the England and Wales Court of Appeal overreached by interfering with the trial judgment, and what the role of an appeal court should be.

We will be back with another episode later this month. Thank you for listening. 

We review the latest batch of IP STARS rankings, analyse a major law firm collaboration following the opening of India’s legal market, and look at why Canadian brands are promoting ‘Canadianness’. 

In this episode, the team delves into some of the biggest talking points from the last few weeks.

Editor Max Walters is joined by Rani Mehta, senior reporter for the Americas, and Sukanya Sarkar, our special projects editor in Asia.

We look back at some of our recent coverage, including the publication of new trademark rankings and the annual ‘Top 250 Women in IP’.

We also look back at some of the biggest talking points from the last month, including how CMS and India’s IndusLaw are benefitting from their integration, a battle over lookalikes in the US, and why Canadian brands are using IP to promote national identity.

We will be back with a new episode in July. Thank you for listening.