Invitation to Corporate Members to be Appointed to the IP Regulation Board

The IP Regulation Board (IPREG) will be made up of three Trade Mark Attorneys and three Patent Attorneys who will be appointed by the respective Institutes, together with three Lay Members under a Lay Chair

What will the job consist of?

As a professional member of the Board of IPREG you will work with and alongside a Lay Chairman and Lay Members to determine the policy and practice for the regulation of the Trade Mark and Patent Attorney professions. This will require professionals to bring their knowledge and experience of the workings of the professions to bear on a wide range of issues which will fall to be determined by the IPREG, such as qualifications, training, professional development, conduct etc.

Professional Members of IPREG will not be representatives of ITMA (or CIPA) and any member of the ITMA Council will have to resign if they applied and were selected for IPREG (by the same token any professional member of IPREG who stands and is elected for ITMA Council will have to resign from IPREG).

What qualities will be required?

The ability to think strategically about, as well as bringing individual experience to bear on, issues under consideration.

The personal qualities to work as a member of a team and work towards shared consensus; to accept collective responsibility

The ability to understand and contribute to discussion on all policy and practice issues relating to the regulation of the Patent and Trade Mark Attorney Professions.

What is the time commitment?

In the early days there are likely to be Board meetings monthly (usually in London), thereafter they are likely to be quarterly. This is likely, overall, to occupy 1 day per month (reading papers, preparing for meetings and attending meetings)

How much will I be paid?

There will be a payment for all members of IPREG of £3000 per annum (though the amount is still to be finally settled). In addition, travel expenses will be paid.

Where can I get more information?

Michael Heap, Chairman of IPREG, email: info@regexecutive.co.uk or Mike Knight, Acting Chief Executive of IPREG, email: mike@mbknight.co.uk  will be happy to provide members with more information about the role and the working of IPREG.

All Board members need to be in place by April 2009 though ideally they will start shadowing the present Board before then. Applications are invited from Ordinary Members and Fellows of ITMA to be one of the three Trade Mark Attorney Board Members. Applications, making the case for Board Membership, should be made in writing to Margaret Tyler in the Institute Office by 14 November. Interviews will be held in London and reasonable expenses will be paid. The final selection will be made under Nolan principles by a board comprising the ITMA officers, the Chairman of IPREG and an independent Chairperson.