Diversity: What matters to the IP community?
A new WIPR Focus explores what the future holds for IP as it strives to become a more inclusive, diverse and compassionate sector, explains Muireann Bolger.
Today marks the start of our WIPR Focus on diversity and inclusion (D&I).
Further, April is Celebrate Diversity Month in the US.
You can look forward to profiles of pioneering IP leaders, including in-house counsel, discussions on the importance of varied perspectives, data-led investigations, and initiatives that are trying to move the dial on inequality.
Over the next few weeks, the WIPR bulletin will include articles, interviews, videos and webinars on the topics that are making a difference in IP professionals’ lives.
April is also National Stress Awareness Month in the UK and our focus will also feature content exploring mental health challenges, and how the legal sector can prioritise wellbeing in the workplace.
Today’s highlights include a deep dive into how technologies including artificial intelligence are causing technostress, and we revisit views from US D&I leaders on the chill imposed on diversity programmes following the US Supreme Court’s rulings on affirmative action.
In the coming weeks, we will hear from top IP in-house counsel on why diversity matters, explore the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ attorneys when travelling to certain destinations, and delve into the problems posed by burn-out, dress codes, language and class barriers.
Not only that, but we will bring you the latest cutting-edge D&I research in partnership with leading membership organisations. Also, we will reveal our Influential Women, Diversity Champions, Trailblazers and Change Drivers for 2024!
Also, look out for a thought-provoking webinar:
Pioneering Women in IP: Rethinking how we live, work and play (Thursday, April 25, 5pm BST)
In rethinking how we live, work and play, our panel of leading female IP practitioners will lead a spirited debate on the practical steps that we can all take to build our future with innovation and creativity.
You’ll have a chance to hear from:
Gail Su, senior IP Counsel, Google
Marcia Chang, VP, IP Operations, Tradespace
Kenya Williams, IP counsel, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Nicole Mastrangelo, IP counsel, The Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard
With an audience Q&A and a stellar line-up of speakers, this is set to be an unmissable and timely live debate.
For the next three weeks, these rich stories will be curated into a new weekly email and sent to WIPR bulletin subscribers.
We hope you enjoy!
Muireann Bolger, deputy editor
