CIPA is committed to helping people understand and protect their intellectual property rights and is pleased to provide free advice and support to inventors, individuals and small businesses via the following initiatives.
The IP Pro Bono scheme offers free intellectual property advice and legal support to individuals and small businesses involved in intellectual property disputes who cannot afford to pay.
For more information, visit the website.
The institute holds regular clinics to provide free advice to unrepresented innovators who are at the early stages of developing an idea. Each 30-minute online consultation is given by a Chartered Patent Attorney who is a Fellow of the institute.
Clinics are held most weeks and should usually be booked a month in advance.
Listed below are the current sites for IP clinics contact details for arranging an appointment.
Many firms of patent attorneys will also offer the first consultation free of charge, so if there is not a clinic listed locally, you could contact a local firm of patent attorneys.
Search our directory of patent attorneys.
IP advice consultations are available for booking generally on the third Wednesday of each month, 2.45-6.45pm. Please note an appointment is necessary. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings.
To make a booking or for more information, please contact Aberdeen PATLIB.
Tel: 01224 652500
Email: [email protected]
Address: Aberdeen Central Library, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, AB25 1GW
IP advice consultations are available for booking every Monday evening, from 5-6.30pm. Please note an appointment is necessary. Each appointment will consist of a one-hour confidential consultation with a specialist patent and IP information officer/librarian. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings. These appointments may include:
For more information or to make a booking please contact Business and Learning:
Tel: 0121 242 4242
Email: [email protected]
Address: Library of Birmingham, Cenetenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2ND
IP advice consultations are available for booking every few months, based on demand from the local community. The location of the clinics may vary each month. If you would like free advice on patents, trade marks, designs, copyright, or any other general IP advice related to developing and commercialising an idea, please come along to the clinics where you will be able to talk to a Chartered Patent Attorney and member of CIPA. Please note an appointment is necessary.
Email: [email protected]
IP advice consultations are available for booking once a month. Please note an appointment is necessary. Please contact the team for more information.
Tel: (0113) 378 6010
Email: [email protected]
Address: Business & IP Centre Leeds, Central Library, Calverley Street, Leeds, LS1 3AB
IP advice consultations are available for booking on the first Tuesday of the month from 5-7.30pm. An appointment is necessary. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings.
To make an appointment contact The Business & IP Centre:
Tel: 0151 233 5835
Email: [email protected]
Address: Liverpool Business & IP Centre, Liverpool Central Library, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EW
London IP clinics are held every Monday evening between 5:00 – 6:50PM. Please note, booking is essential via email only.
*During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings and deposit will not be required.*
Email: [email protected]
Address: CIPA, Halton House, 20-23 Holborn EC1N 2JD
You can also contact a patent attorney directly for advice. Visit our Find a patent attorney service where you can search for a London-based patent attorney.
IP advice consultations are available for booking every third Tuesday of the month from 2-6pm. Trade mark, copyright and design sessions are held every 2nd Tuesday of the month, 2-5pm. An appointment is necessary. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings.
Contact: Manchester PATLIB
Tel: 0161 234 1990/91
Email: [email protected]
Address: Business and Intellectual Property Centre, Manchester Central Library, St.Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD
IP advice consultations are available for booking every week. Each appointment consists of a free one-hour confidential consultation with a specialist patent and IP information officer/librarian. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings. The consultation may include:
Contact the Business & IP Centre Newcastle:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bipcnewcastle.co.uk
Twitter: @BIPCNewcastle
Address: City Library, Charles Avison Building, 33 New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX
With the assistance of CIPA, the Intellectual Property Office in Newport is now running regular clinics. An Examiner from the Intellectual Property Office will also take part in the clinic. For details of the venue, dates and to book an appointment online click here.
Address: Intellectual Property Office, Concept House, Cardiff Road, Newport NP10 8QQ
IP Clinics are being held at Baldwins Accountants on the second Monday of the month from 10am-12pm. An appointment is necessary. See here for more details.
Email: [email protected]
Address: Baldwins, Ruthlyn House, 90 Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2SP
Intellectual Property Advice Support Service (iPass) is available for IP advice to students and alumni of University of Portsmouth only. During the coronavirus pandemic, virtual sessions are being held in place of face-to-face meetings.
Contact: Joe Sekhon (Director of iPass & Senior Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law)
Tel: 02392 84102
Email: [email protected]
Address: Intellectual Property Advice Support Service (iPass), School of Law, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE
IP advice consultations are available for booking every month. All appointments are conducted by telephone. Contact the Business & IP Centre Sheffield.
Tel: 0114 2734712
Email: [email protected]
Address: Business & IP Centre Sheffield, Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 1XZ
IP advice consultations are available for booking on the last Thursday of each month between 5-7pm. Please note an appointment is necessary. Session either be held online or a face-to-face meeting in the Business & IP Centre on the first floor of Southampton Central Library.
Please contact the BIPC Southampton.
Email: [email protected]
Address: BIPC Southampton, Central Library, Civic Centre, Southampton, SO14 7LW
Date published: August 12 2022