Globalisation, artificial intelligence, consolidation, changing client expectations and pressure on fees are reshaping the IP profession. The question is no longer whether firms will need to adapt, but what form that adaptation should take.
New research by FICPI’s Practice Management Committee offers a revealing snapshot of a profession in transition
Based on responses from 99 IP firms across 34 countries, the business models survey found that 90% of firms are already experiencing the influence of globalisation, 82% report some influence from AI and 65% are affected by industry consolidation. At the same time, 94% of respondents now provide at least one service beyond traditional patent and trademark prosecution, with firms offering an average of 5 additional services.
AI is creating a particularly striking “expectation gap”. Although 82% of firms acknowledge its influence, its most common impact so far is a change in client expectations, reported by 40% of respondents.
Join us at the FICPI Open Forum for a panel discussion on the findings
This September at the FICPI Open Forum in Budapest, we will turn statistics into a practical and forward-looking discussion. Our seminar will present five possible models for the IP firm of the future:
- IP platform roll-ups
- IP practices integrated into full-service firms or multidisciplinary groups
- Specialist boutiques with productised services
- National and international operating alliances
- AI-native service providers.
These models present different routes to scale, specialisation, collaboration and technology-enabled delivery. They also raise difficult questions.
- Can an independent boutique compete with a global platform without imitating it?
- Can alliances provide scale while preserving autonomy?
- Will fixed fees and subscriptions replace time-based billing for routine work?
- How should firms distinguish between tasks that can be automated and decisions that require professional judgement?
Benjamin Lehberger of Dilworth IP in the USA, Maya Muchemwa of Womble Bond Dickinson in the UK, and Dr Chris Parsonson of Solve Intelligence in the UK will deep dive into the benefits, disadvantages and pitfalls unique to their particular business model, in a session moderated by Dima Litvak of Reinhold Cohn Group in Israel.
Join us in Budapest for an evidence-based exploration of the choices facing IP firms, and an opportunity to consider which model, or combination of models, offers the strongest path for your practice.
Find out more about the FICPI Open Forum (16-19 September 2026) in Budapest.
