The Slants: Cooperation, Diversity & Inclusion in IP

Behind every situation is a story.

The role of cooperation, diversity and inclusion in Intellectual Property will be analysed through the unique story of Simon Tam and The Slants. “Nobody starts a band thinking that they’re going to go to the Supreme Court over a trade mark registration.”

This Session will introduce foundations for the “cooperation“ theme of the Congress through Mr. Tan's unique and humorous perspective.

What can we learn from The Slants’ story of a six year battle to get a trade mark registered.

The role of asking questions, conversation, listening and building empathy towards trust and better cooperation will be explored.

How balanced are the environments in innovation, our firms and FICPI in terms of opportunities for everyone?

What are the hidden — or not so hidden — obstacles for people of different ages, genders, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religions to participate and to feel they really belong and cooperate in the IP community at different levels?

Performers: "The Slants" - Simon Tam and Joe X. Jiang

Plenary 2 // What AI and frontier technologies mean for IP Practitioners and IP Offices

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, Intellectual Property (IP) offices are increasingly integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and frontier technologies to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and improve service delivery.
This shift is transforming how practitioners interact with IP systems, from patent filings to trade mark searches, providing new tools for efficiency and accuracy.

This overview explores the impact of these technologies within IP offices, highlighting their potential to automate routine tasks, predict outcomes, and foster global collaboration.

It also examines the challenges and opportunities these innovations present for IP professionals as they adapt to an evolving landscape.

Moderator: Elia Sugrañes
Speakers: João Negrão, Ken-Ichiro Natsume, Nellie Simon, Ruifeng Wang & Akira Yoshimori

Patents 1 // Cooperation and synergism between R&D and marketing departments, in-house and outside patent counsel

Two opposing interests are often pitted against one another in the patent world.

On the one hand there are the researchers who are keen to publish the results of their activities in scientific literature as soon as possible, and the marketing people who are keen to advertise new products well in advance of placing them on the market.

While on the other hand, there are the in-house and outside patent counsel who want sufficient time to assess whether enough data has been generated or experiments done to support a patent filing, and if so, additional time to draft and file a patent application before those publication and marketing activities take place.

The in-house and outside patent counsel often need to plead with the researchers and marketing people to defer their publication and advertising activities at least until a patent application has been filed.

Is there a way to properly balance those two interests? Many companies, universities and research institutes have internal procedures for achieving this balance but frequently face problems in implementing those procedures.  How could the various departments cooperate to achieve this goal? What is or could be the role of outside counsel in such a scenario?

Moderator: Dr. Roberto Pistolesi
Speakers: Alessandro Biraghi, Markus Gruber, Michael J. Kline & Daniel J. Warren

Practice Management 1 // “No one can serve two masters”: Exploring conflicts of interest in IP firms

Navigating conflicts of interest in legal proceedings is a critical skill for patent and trademark attorneys.

This session will delve into the complexities of identifying potential conflicts, implementing effective internal strategies to manage them, and ensuring ethical compliance.  

Attendees will gain insights into best practices for maintaining professional integrity while safeguarding client interests, all within the dynamic landscape of intellectual property law.  

Join us to enhance your expertise and navigate these challenges with confidence.

Moderator: Ravi Srinivasan
Speakers: Alain Leclerc, Robert Joynes

Plenary 3 // Removing the cloak of invisibility

Having a diverse organisation is a strength both inside a firm and externally with client relationships.  

An important, yet often times overlooked, aspect of diversity are members of invisible underrepresented groups who are only identified through self-reporting. 

Invisible diversities can include LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, FIGLI (first generation, limited income), veterans, religion.  This session will discuss the unique challenges faced by individuals with an invisible diversity and how law firms can provide a supportive environment for members of an invisible diverse class.  

This session will also consider how the unique experiences of these underrepresented groups are an asset to a law firm both internally and with client relationships. 

Moderator: Dr. MaryAnne Armstrong
Speakers: Dr. Hannah Brown, Dr. Claire Gregg & Prof. Laura Heymann

Plenary 4 // Your business development strategy: size does matter

Crafting a unified business development strategy for firms of all sizes

A cohesive, firm-wide business development strategy is a comprehensive approach that aligns all departments and resources towards common goals, ensuring that every aspect of the firm works in harmony to achieve growth and success. This is essential for an IP firm to navigate the competitive landscape, attract and retain clients, and ultimately drive the firm’s long-term success.

This session lays out essential components of a unified BD strategy such as: cross-departmental collaboration, market analysis, goal setting and KPIs, CRM, training and development, and more.

A unique perspective is provided by examining these components through the lens of three different sized firms: small, medium, and large. Three BD leaders will explain how they led the change in developing their business development strategies within their respective sized firms and will share encountered pitfalls in its development and implementation.  

Additionally, a business development expert will provide feedback on their strategies, offering valuable insights and actionable advice. The session will explore and discuss how the speaker’s challenges were addressed and, in some cases, successfully overcome.

Understand how to craft a unified business development strategy that can drive growth and success, regardless of your firm's size. Learn from real-world experiences and expert analysis and take away practical knowledge that you can apply to your own business development efforts.

Moderator: Laura Mannering
Speakers: Phil Cox, Dr Ronelle Geldenhuys, Dima Litvak & Sharad Vadehra

Patents 2 // Inventorship: Who, what, when, where, how, and why?

In this session, we will don our detective hats to focus on the legal nature of inventorship across various jurisdictions.

We will consider the requirements of inventorship and how best to obtain the information needed to conduct an inventorship analysis.

We will also discuss what can happen if an incorrect person is listed as an inventor or an inventor is omitted, how AI can affect inventorship, and how to correct inventorship when necessary.

We will round off the session by providing you with a step-by-step approach to determining inventorship according to best practice across the jurisdictions covered.

Moderator: Britta Fromow
Speakers: R. Danny Huntington, Dr. Malte Köllner & Takayoshi Kawai

Patents 3 // The UPC

Since July 2024, a major new player has been shaping the European intellectual property landscape: the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
By July 2024, the UPC had begun issuing its first decisions on the merits, with a steadily growing body of case law.

As FICPI, we are closely monitoring how the UPC approaches critical issues such as patent validity requirements and the interpretation of patents for determining their scope of protection. Naturally, comparisons arise with European Patent Office (EPO) standards and the established practices of national courts in UPCA member states.

This session will explore emerging trends, key differences, and potential pitfalls in this evolving legal framework. Our expert panel will analyse recent decisions, discuss strategic implications, and provide valuable insights for practitioners navigating the new system.

The session will concluded with a keynote address by Carl Josefsson, President of the Boards of Appeal of the EPO. [At Mr Josefsson's request, this is not included in the audio recording.]

Moderator: Mauro Eccetto
Speakers: Andreas Haderlein, Dr. Stefanie Parchmann, Judge Andrea Postiglione

Practice Management 2 // Stress Less, Succeed More

This session examines the unique pressures faced by IP attorneys and their impact on mental health. 

Inherently adversarial and with “self-critical perfectionism” set as the minimum standard, the legal profession is particularly ripe for mental health issues.  Mental health remains shrouded in stigma and veiled in ignorance.

We address the topic with candour and unashamed conversation. We'll also delve into the neuroscience of emotions, discuss mental health triggers, and equip attendees with brain-based practical strategies to cultivate resilience, enhance emotional regulation and, ultimately, to function more effectively. 

Moderator: Claudia Berndt

Speakers: Thom Dyke, Lisha Harilal, Swarup Kumar

Practice Management 3 // From chaos to clarity - communication as the key to change

Change is an unavoidable part of our personal and professional lives.  To effectively drive a business forward we need to ensure we and our colleagues have a positive and constructive understanding of why change is hard for everyone and how to cope with the challenges and opportunities that change provides.

In this interactive conversational style interview, Ian and Stella will explore practical ways to help make change a positive experience, with a particular emphasis on people and communication.

Moderator: Ian Gill
Speaker: Stella Chandler

TM&D 1 // Brand Battles & Alliances

In today’s competitive business environment, effective branding is crucial to a company’s success.
 

However, the path to building a strong brand identity is often complicated by the distinct perspectives of marketing experts and trade mark attorneys. While marketing professionals focus on creative strategies, consumer engagement, and brand storytelling, trade mark attorneys are concerned with legal protection, intellectual property rights, and risk mitigation.

This session will explore the delicate balance between these two groups, highlighting areas of cooperation and inevitable conflicts. Through case studies and expert insights, we will discuss how marketing teams and trade mark attorneys can collaborate to build robust, legally sound brands while addressing the potential challenges and tensions that arise in the process.

Join us for a dynamic conversation on how these two vital functions can align for the ultimate success of a brand in the marketplace.

Moderator: Eleni Kokkini
Speakers: Catherine Dhanjal, Alexandros Kouris, Ana de Sampaio

FICPI World Congress 2025 // TM&D 2

TM&D 2 // Designs in Focus

Last year, there were a number of innovations and changes in design law: 

• WIPO finally succeeded in adopting the long-discussed and in many respects controversial Design Law Treaty.
• After more than 20 years, the EUIPO is revising design law in Europe.
• In addition, there have also been changes within the Hague Agreement made by WIPO.

What are the consequences of these changes for design law and our application practice?

Are we at least a step closer to harmonisation?

Moderator: Jürgen Buchhold
Speakers: Paula de Andrés Gómez, Grégoire Bisson

TM&D 3 // When IP and Social Media Collide

The types and extent of IP available for fashion designs differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may include not only design patents and trademarks, but also copyrights.
 

In addition to obtaining this protection, essential in the consideration of a global brand strategy are licensing of those rights, restriction of sales on third party internet sites, and the exploitation of social media by authorised and unauthorised users of the brand and the brand’s products.  

Highlighting a recent court decision of a well-known wedding dress designer, the session will also touch on rights of publicity with respect to the use of these IP tools.

This session will not only provide an overview of the types of IP protection available, but will also provide guidance on what has, and has not been successful in implementing collaborative agreements that are omnipresent in the fashion industry.  

Moderator: Sharon Crane
Speakers: Keirstin Beck, Tiffany Cooke, Alana Matthews, Mina Stricklin