Michael Heap appointed Chairman of the Intellectual Property Regulation Board

Michael Heap said that he was “delighted to be appointed. It was a unique appointment because unlike other regulators which have been set up following the Legal Services Act, he would have responsibility for two professions, both with a long and distinguished history as well a vital role in industry and commerce. He looked forward to the challenge”.

Gillian Deas, President of the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, said: “I welcome Michael Heap’s appointment and look forward to working with him to ensure the independent and proportionate regulation of the professions.”

David Bradley, President of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys said: “I also welcome Michael Heap’s appointment. He will bring to bear the independence of someone from outside the professions but with some very relevant knowledge and experience of regulation as well as organizational change which will stand him and us in good stead”

Michael Heap’s background is in the justice system and professional regulation. He qualified as a barrister in 1975 and holds an MBA. He served as a justice’s clerk and chief executive in South Wales before taking up the post of Chief Executive of the Greater London Courts Authority. His experience encompasses organizational development, a number of regulatory enquiries and he was Director of |development at the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Notes for Editors

1. The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys and the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys are the two professions directly involved in obtaining and defending intellectual property rights in the United Kingdom. Both are Approved Regulators under the Legal Services Act, but because of their common interests and the same client base they decided to set up a joint regulator which could regulate both professions and therefore the Intellectual Property Regulation Board was set up.

2. Michael Heap was appointed after an open competition which applied the Nolan principles. 

3. The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA) was established in 1934 as the professional body representing those persons qualified to act for the owners of trade mark and allied intellectual property rights (in particular, registered designs) both nationally and internationally. It now represents the vast majority of UK registered trade mark agents and all UK Trade Mark & Design Litigators.

4. Currently ITMA has approximately 500 practising members; it also extends associate membership to professionals in related fields of law and overseas membership to foreign trade mark attorneys. Its total membership (all classes) is about 1600 members, primarily located in the United Kingdom and Europe, but also in more than 50 other countries.

5. ITMA is regularly consulted by UK government and by international bodies when questions affecting trade mark and allied intellectual property rights arise. It has regular meetings with the UK Intellectual Property Office, the Community Trade Marks Office (OHIM), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and other sister organisations in Europe and beyond. For more information visit www.itma.org.uk.

Press Enquiries to Ken Storey, PR Manager, Tel: 020 8941 6079 or Mobile 07710 434 507.