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Want a clear roadmap to the new EQE without the confusion or the myths? We sat down with the people who helped design it to unpack the why, the what, and the how, so you can plan your path with confidence. 

Lee and Gwilym unpack with Chris Mercer, Julia Gwilt and Debbie Slater the new EQE structure with the leaders who shaped it, explain why the change was needed, and map the staged path from Paper F through M3 and M4. They share guidance for trainees, tutors, and firms on training registration, materials, exemptions, and transitions.

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A decade of transforming the intellectual property landscape through inclusion, allyship, and community building, that's the remarkable journey of IP Inclusive we explore in this episode with founder Andrea Brewster.

What makes IP Inclusive unique is its ground-up development, responding to the genuine needs of professionals rather than imposing initiatives from above. This approach has fostered the creation of thriving communities including Women in IP, IP Out for LGBTQ+ professionals, IP and Me for those from minority ethnic backgrounds, IP Ability supporting disabled professionals and carers, and IP Futures for early-career individuals. Each community evolved naturally and embraces allies, a concept that's been vital for engaging those in positions of influence.

• IP Inclusive fundraising: https://ipinclusive.org.uk/ip-inclusive-fundraising/
• IP Inclusive six communities: (https://ipinclusive.org.uk/community/)
• Their flagship event looking at how approaches to EDI are changing and how they can keep up the momentum: "The Case for EDI: Why we need to continue" on 4th November, see https://ipinclusive.org.uk/events/the-case-for-edi-why-we-need-to-continue/. 

Join us on the eve of Congress 2025: IP and AI for an evening of networking. The event is hosted by the CIPA EDI Committee by the invitation of the Congress Committee. Book your place here.

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On our last episode, we are stepping into the world of global intellectual property advocacy as we sit down with Margaret Polson and Lauren B. Emerson from the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) during the INTA conference in San Diego.

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Our next guest to join Lee and Gwilym in our San Diego Pubcast is Rob Jackson. Chair of CIPA's UPC Committee, takes us on a captivating journey from his unconventional entry into patent law to his passionate advocacy for UK patent attorneys' involvement in the Unified Patent Court system. With refreshing candor, he reveals how a suggestion from his mother, a legal secretary, and his childhood interest in what "Pat Pend" meant on Lego bricks eventually led him to a fulfilling career at Danes in London.

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Lee and Gwilym were joined by Michael McLaughlin, Patent Attorney at McLaughlin IP Pte. Ltd., for this INTA Pubcast special. Ever wonder what happens when engineering expertise meets international IP law across multiple continents? Michael's twenty-year journey from electrical engineer to Singapore patent firm founder offers a fascinating glimpse into the possibilities of a global IP career.

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To start off our San Diego Pubcast special, Lee and Gwilym sit down with Vicki Salmon. Vicki never planned on becoming a patent attorney. While preparing for a career as an accountant after studying natural sciences at Cambridge, a chance conversation with a neighbor who happened to be a High Court judge changed everything. "I think you should have a look at patents," he suggested, introducing her to the profession that would become her life's work.

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This episode captures a fascinating conversation between UK and Canadian intellectual property experts exploring the unique challenges and innovations in their respective IP systems.

The discussion dives deep into Canada's uncertain landscape for patentable subject matter, where inconsistent case law and examiner interpretations create significant headaches for businesses seeking protection. Unlike Europe's relatively settled approach, Canadian companies often face unpredictability that hampers strategic planning, as one guest puts it, sometimes patent outcomes depend on "the particular examiner's mood that day." 

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Step into the fascinating world of global intellectual property protection with Charles Randolph and Brian Beckham from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). What begins as an annual update on WIPO's activities quickly transforms into a revealing conversation about the organization's far-reaching influence on the intellectual property landscape.

Charles, who heads WIPO's industry and NGO relations, shares how the organization manages relationships with over 300 accredited associations worldwide, coordinating specialists, organizing events, and facilitating crucial connections across the entire IP spectrum. Meanwhile, Brian offers captivating insights into the evolution of domain name disputes since the internet's early days. As head of WIPO's Internet Dispute Resolution team, he explains how their work has shifted from handling simple domain squatters to combating sophisticated phishing campaigns and fraud, especially as AI tools advance.

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Alex Gray and Asa Le Fustec from RightHub join us to reveal how they're disrupting the IP management industry with their fresh approach. After spending decades navigating the limitations of legacy systems at companies like CPA Global, they decided to build something entirely new – a comprehensive platform that leverages modern technology to eliminate the inefficiencies that have plagued IP professionals for years.

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The upcoming INTA 2026 in London has us dreaming of pub quizzes, battle of the bands, and podcasting from double-decker buses, but before that excitement, we're diving into the world of intellectual property services with Andre Andrade and Emma Browning from RWS.

These fascinating guests share remarkably similar stories of finding their way into IP through language skills, Andre as a Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French speaker who began as a trademark watcher, and Emma with her French and Italian background starting as a project manager. What's striking is how both have fallen in love with the IP industry, unable now to imagine working in any other field.