Event Listing

Lee Davies has been the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) since February 2012. Prior to this, Lee was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Institute for Learning (IfL), the professional body for further education teachers. Lee’s professional background is in engineering (mechanical services) and further education teaching. Lee has experience of the governance of professional bodies, having served as the President of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) in 2011-12.
Lee says that such a varied career, from apprentice plumber to CEO of CIPA, via organisations such as the Highbury College in Portsmouth, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) and IfL, has left him a little confused about his professional identity. Lee now identifies as an ‘association leader’, although the concept of association leadership is, in Lee’s words, “woefully undervalued and little recognised in the UK”. Lee is a passionate advocate for the association sector and is President and Chair of the Institute of Association Leadership (IAL), where he leads the Chief Executives’ Forum.

JoAnna Emery joined atai Life Sciences in 2022. Previously, JoAnna was Senior Intellectual Property Paralegal for Cambridge Mechatronics Limited where she was responsible for aiding in the management and growth of the patent portfolio. Prior to that she was the Head of and Director for Pure Ideas Limited where she managed the strategy, P&L, KPIs and intellectual property operations of the firm. She has over 30 years experience in intellectual property in both the US and England. JoAnna holds an Associate and a Bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies from Rivier College.

Simeon is Communications Lead for the One IPO Transformation Programme. He has worked in public sector communications for 15 years, having previously worked in a variety of comms roles at the Office for National Statistics and UK Statistics Authority. Simeon joined the IPO in 2020 and acts as a key link between IPO developers and customers. In his spare time, Simeon is an avid gamer and a Tae Kwon-do instructor.

Chris is Patent Subject Matter Expert for the One IPO Transformation Programme. This involves working with the development team and the wider IPO to help ensure that the new system meets the IPO’s needs. He has been a patent examiner for over 20 years, working primarily on chemical applications. Outside of work, Chris enjoys watching a wide variety of sports and is a fan of Coventry City.

Christina is a Key Account Manager and Patent Administration (PA) expert. She has worked with the EPO since 2003 in different positions and has been a PA expert for 20 years. Since 2015 she is a Key Account Manager and has participated in various projects around the EPO’s Online tools and services.

She has accompanied the roll out of MyEPO to the user community since its launch.

Andrea is a Chartered Patent Attorney and a former CIPA President. In the past she has served on the Institute’s governing Council and several of its committees.

Before her retirement she was a partner in a small regional IP practice, Greaves Brewster LLP, of which she had been a co-founder.

Andrea established IP Inclusive in 2015 to promote equality, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and wellbeing throughout the UK’s IP professions. Alongside many enthusiastic volunteers, she has developed the initiative into a well-connected and influential player in the IP sector. She became its first Lead Executive Officer in 2019.

Lee Davies has been the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) since February 2012. Prior to this, Lee was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Institute for Learning (IfL), the professional body for further education teachers. Lee’s professional background is in engineering (mechanical services) and further education teaching. Lee has experience of the governance of professional bodies, having served as the President of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) in 2011-12.
Lee says that such a varied career, from apprentice plumber to CEO of CIPA, via organisations such as the Highbury College in Portsmouth, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) and IfL, has left him a little confused about his professional identity. Lee now identifies as an ‘association leader’, although the concept of association leadership is, in Lee’s words, “woefully undervalued and little recognised in the UK”. Lee is a passionate advocate for the association sector and is President and Chair of the Institute of Association Leadership (IAL), where he leads the Chief Executives’ Forum.

Annemarie is a highly skilled paralegal with over 25 years of experience, her responsibilities including the preparation and delivery of training and training materials for paralegals, the standardisation of work and the career development and continuing professional development for paralegals.  Annemarie also manages a large portfolio of patents and designs, liaising closely with attorneys, outside counsel and clients.

Annemarie is currently the Chair of CIPA’s IP Paralegal Committee, as well as a Lead Course Tutor and Examiner for the official paralegal qualification of the UK registered patent profession.  Annemarie gained the European Patent Administration Certification in 2022 and is also currently involved in the preparation of course materials for the CIPA advanced paralegal qualification.

Vicky is a proven IP specialist with a wealth of experience, working within various aspects of Intellectual Property. She has been working for D Young & Co since January 2024 as IP Practices Manager.

Vicky works very closely with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys as a member of the Education Committee. She is the Chair of the sub-committee responsible for the development of the Advanced Patent Administrators’ Course. Vicky is also the only IP specialist in the UK working with the EPO to deliver a structured and comprehensive certification for patent paralegals who work with, or for the EPO – the European Patent Administrator’s Certificate. Vicky passed the CIPA Certificate in Patent Administration qualification in 2007. She became a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals in 2011 and a qualified teacher in 2015. She passed the Post Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property at Bournemouth University in 2018.

Debbie is a Senior Patent Attorney at Granta IP Services Ltd. She is a member of Council and Chair of the Education Committee. She is a Co-Editor of the Patents Training Manual and currently working on the development and delivery of the Advanced Patent Paralegal Course.

Martyn joined the Siemens IP department in 2005 and in January 2025 was made the vice chair of the CIPA Paralegal Committee. Working in an in-house department, he deals with everything from Invention Disclosures and first filings right through prosecution to oppositions, grants and inventor remuneration. He also regularly leads on projects and assists other IP departments worldwide with training and implementing new processes.

Cahyle has worked for the University of Leeds since early 2022 and serves as a pivotal member of the Commercialisation department, helping to drive innovation and facilitating valuable partnerships. Notably, in early 2023, Cahyle achieved the CIPA Entry Level Paralegal Qualification, further enhancing their expertise in the field.

In this role, Cahyle serves as the go-to point of contact for academics, patent attorneys, and Case Managers. Their expertise in patent correspondence and agreements ensures meticulous data management. Cahyle’s proactive approach includes identifying data gaps and swiftly resolving complex issues, making them a reliable problem-solver.

Cahyle’s dedication extends to improving administration systems, collaborating with team members and stakeholders, and assisting senior management in capturing essential information. Their commitment to operational excellence and intellectual property management makes Cahyle Smith an indispensable asset to the University of Leeds.

Amanda Murphy, Ph.D., brings over 19 years of experience to her life sciences intellectual property practice. As a U.S. patent attorney practicing in London, Amanda focuses on developing patent filing and prosecution strategies tailored to clients’ worldwide business goals. Her practice includes patent application preparation and prosecution, pre-litigation portfolio and due diligence analyses, and contentious PTAB proceedings.

Shelley is the Deputy Chief Executive of IPReg and is a practising solicitor. She joined the IPReg team in October 2017 after 11 years in a regulatory and public law team of a London firm. Shelley oversees a number of IPReg’s regulatory functions, including its authorisation, registration, and disciplinary work. In her native New Zealand, Shelley was a Barrister practising criminal law with a special interest in youth criminal justice.

Annemarie is a highly skilled paralegal with over 25 years of experience, her responsibilities including the preparation and delivery of training and training materials for paralegals, the standardisation of work and the career development and continuing professional development for paralegals.  Annemarie also manages a large portfolio of patents and designs, liaising closely with attorneys, outside counsel and clients.

Annemarie is currently the Chair of CIPA’s IP Paralegal Committee, as well as a Lead Course Tutor and Examiner for the official paralegal qualification of the UK registered patent profession.  Annemarie gained the European Patent Administration Certification in 2022 and is also currently involved in the preparation of course materials for the CIPA advanced paralegal qualification.