3. Introduction to CIPA

3. Introduction to CIPA

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (‘CIPA’) is the professional representative body for patent attorneys in the United Kingdom. CIPA was founded in 1882 and was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1891. CIPA represents over 2800 chartered patent attorneys, in private practice and industrial departments. Total membership is over 4800 and includes trainee patent attorneys, IP paralegals and other IP professionals.

CIPA is designated as the approved regulator for the patent attorney profession under the 2007 Legal Services Act (‘LSA’) and the keeper of the Register of Patent Attorneys under the 1988 Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act (‘CDPA’). CIPA delegates its regulatory responsibilities to the Intellectual Property Regulatory Board (‘IPReg’). The Patent Examination Board (‘PEB’) is a self-governing Committee of CIPA, accredited by IPReg to oversee the administration and quality assurance of the examinations required to be entered onto the Register of Patent Attorneys, and become a Fellow of CIPA and a Chartered Patent Attorney (‘CPA’).

CIPA is the UK’s leading professional and representative body for IP professionals practising in patents, designs, trademarks and other forms of intellectual property. CIPA is responsible for promoting the education, standing, training and continuing professional expertise of IP professionals and for establishing, maintaining and enforcing high standards of professional conduct and compliance with the law. CIPA achieves this through:

• democratic governance by its members, via a Council of twenty-seven elected representatives, and Committees covering the full range of IP policy and practice areas;
• providing the profession with opportunities for continuing professional competency (‘CPC’), via an annual programme of highly relevant seminars, webinars and other educational events;
• acting as the principal advocacy body for the profession, with a range of public affairs activities aimed at influencing policy formers and decision makers in the UK and internationally;
• creating a knowledge hub, through the publication of its Journal and a series of textbooks and guides through which its members stay up to date with IP law and practice; and
• supporting the professional community through its social programme, including regional events, special interest groups and informal networking opportunities.

Lee Davies, CIPA Chief Executive