We interview Dr. MaryAnne Armstrong, PhD, Partner at IP law firm Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) in the USA, to find out more about the firm, and more about FICPI member MaryAnne herself.
What prompted you to become a FICPI sponsor?
Our partners at BSKB have been active members of FICPI for many years, serving in various leadership roles and committees at both a national and international level. We see the benefit that FICPI brings to the international IP community, and we want to be actively engaged.
Why have you chosen to sponsor FICPI?
As a prominent firm in IP law, we value the opportunity to support the global community of IP professionals. By partnering with FICPI, we aim to contribute to the development of best practices, share our knowledge and stay at the forefront of emerging trends in the industry. Sponsoring FICPI aligns with our commitment to fostering innovation, sharing expertise, and advancing the field of intellectual property law. This sponsorship also provides us with a valuable opportunity to engage with other IP professionals worldwide and strengthen our network within the international IP community.
Tell us about BSKB and what’s particularly important to the FICPI audience of international independent IP attorneys
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) is an internationally recognised and highly-respected intellectual property (IP) law firm, committed to obtaining and enforcing IP rights.
BSKB provides a full range of intellectual property law services to clients in the areas of patent prosecution, post-grant proceedings, litigation, opinions and counselling, design patents, trade marks and licensing. Our knowledgeable attorneys and agents hold advanced degrees and are experienced in the fields of chemistry, life sciences/biotechnology, electronics and IT, mechanical engineering and trade marks.
MaryAnne, tell us about your own FICPI membership and the benefits you’ve found from being a member
I have been a FICPI member for about 10 years. I am currently serving as the Secretary for the US FICPI group and Reporter for CET 3, and I am a member of the DEIA committee.
Being a FICPI member has helped me grow professionally and has helped me build friendships and relationships with colleagues around the world. One of the truly unique things about FICPI is the candid sharing of challenges and solutions that members face in their practice.
I believe that the Practice Management Committee (PMC) and its activities is something very unique to FICPI. Through the PMC discussions and presentations, you see that the challenges that you may face in your practice are mostly likely not unique to your law firm and other law firms face similar challenges. In PMC presentations, practitioners discuss what worked for their firm in a facing a specific challenge and, conversely, what did not work. FICPI members truly support each other professionally in a way that I have not seen with other IP organisations.
Personally, I am involved with CET 3 (Study & Work Committee on International Patent Matters) as the Reporter for the group. I believe that international patent matters and an understanding of patent systems in other countries, as well as patent law harmonization are of fundamental importance in operating in the global IP market.
I also serve on the FICPI DEIA committee. As a woman from a STEM background, issues of diversity and achieving a more diverse face in the IP profession are high priority for me.
What's your experience of previous FICPI events?
Because of the size and programming design of the FICPI events, I have found that the networking opportunities are much richer and more personal than is achieved at other meetings. Through networking at FICPI events I have built friendships that go beyond chatting and catching up at meetings and lead to many social, as well as professional, interactions outside the scope of the FICPI events. FICPI really is a “family”.
Which BSKB representatives are attending the 2024 FICPI Open Forum?
I will be attending along with fellow Partner, Chad Billings. You can find out more about us in our FICPI profiles below.
We look forward to many stimulating IP discussions and fun social times at the Open Forum!
