In January 2026, FICPI celebrated the 45th episode of its renowned FICPI Focus 45 webinar series. The episode entitled “We’re all humans, after all”, reflects on the value of human and empathetic relationships in business.
Since October 2021, FICPI has run regular 45-minute webinars on topics from practice management to technical issues, DEIA and more.
Initially designed to make access to thought leaders and experts in the field more accessible during the immediate aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and beyond whilst in-person meetings were unavailable, their popularity ensures we continue the sessions to this day.
Representatives from national and regional IP Offices and other governmental agencies, experts in the field and across continents, have featured in the popular 45-minute conversational format.
Long-standing FICPI Focus 45 moderator, Louis-Pierre Gravelle (FICPI’s current Co-Deputy Secretary General) and Partner at Dipchand LLP in Montreal, Canada, has carefully curated lively and interactive sessions, followed by audience Q&A.
The FICPI Webinar Committee plans the topics and invites speakers, aided by suggestions from FICPI’s Bureau, Practice Management Committee, Study & Work Committee and others.
A comprehensive library of webinars is now available to FICPI members online via FICPI On Demand, and podcast fans can access the audio-only versions of the sessions via their favourite platform, perfect for on-the-go listening.
Louis-Pierre comments, “The FICPI Focus 45 series is an essential part of FICPI’s aim to make independent IP attorneys more effective. A defining feature of the webinar programme is its international outlook, reflecting FICPI’s membership from more than 85 regions and countries across the world.
“Speakers from multiple jurisdictions bring comparative perspectives, highlighting where approaches to IP laws or firm practices converge, where they diverge, and why those differences matter in practice. These insights guarantee that the episodes are particularly valuable for our 6,500 members across the globe, many of whom are involved in cross-border matters.”
Welcoming our new Eastern Hemisphere host
Inclusivity in all its forms is important for FICPI, including making the live webinars available at a time convenient for members in the Eastern time zones to attend.
With this in mind, from 2026 a number of webinars will run at times particularly suited to FICPI members in the Eastern Hemisphere:
- 1900 New York, USA
- 0530 India Standard Time
- 0800 China Standard Time
- 0900 Japan Standard Time
- 0900 Tokyo Standard Time
- 1000 Brisbane, Australia
- 1100 Melbourne, Australia
- 1200 New Zealand Standard Time
Ronelle Geldenhuys joins us from January 2026 as Eastern Hemisphere host. She is Principal and ICT Patent Attorney at Jones Maxwell Smith & Davis (JMSD) in Australia, as well as Secretary of FICPI Australia, and the Australian ExCo Alternate Delegate.
So what webinar topics might we expect this year?
Ronelle says, “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, exploring engaging topics, and learning more about areas that are still new to me. We hope to make each session accessible and relevant for audiences in the Eastern Hemisphere, helping to share insights from our speakers with our listeners and the wider FICPI community in a useful and practical way.
“Over time, we’d like to better understand what our audience wants to hear about, and to invite speakers who can unpack those subjects clearly and highlight the most important and compelling takeaways.
“Topics that some of our members have asked us to discuss include a practical checklist for starting your own firm, how the profession can effectively engage with their country’s IP office regarding policy and practice, and practical tips for improving the workplace to retain good staff.”
Next steps
We invite FICPI members to reach out with any suggestions of topics that they are interested in learning more about.
If you’re interested in joining the Webinar Committee, find out more at: https://ficpi.org/commissions/webinar-committee
Book for upcoming webinar sessions at: https://ficpi.org/eventstraining/webinars/about-ficpi-webinars