During the 2019 IPBC Global conference in Boston, worldwide leaders in the legal, corporate and academic fields convened with Finnegan attorneys for a boardroom discussion on gender issues in the global IP community. Conversations were open and lively, with many sharing personal experiences, including one participant recalling: "My first day at a law firm in the 1980s, I was pulled aside and told that my trousers were inappropriate; women were expected to wear skirts to the office." Experiences like this were a springboard for the boardroom's discussions, which included both a positive recognition of significant advances made in recent years and a palpable desire for further progress.

Although the exact discussions (including who said what) are reserved for those present in the room, the Finnegan team compiled this special report on key topics to share the experience and enthusiasm throughout the day and to provide concrete and positive proposals moving forward. Finnegan and IAM would like to thank all participants for their insight, support, humour and contributions throughout the day.

Why diversity is essential in the IP world

In companies and firms throughout the IP community, women are underrepresented. Barriers exist throughout the career trajectories of many women – hiring qualified candidates, retaining women as they ascend through company hierarchy and ensuring diversity in management and other leadership roles. These barriers must be knocked down, as there are proven advantages to diversity in the workplace. Effective leadership strategy and execution require balanced viewpoints. Diversity adds to the bottom line. Different perspectives, backgrounds, expertise and experiences facilitate product development and innovative strategies. Diversity creates a more inclusive environment and affords broader contributions, in which employees are more productive, perform better, get better results and remain engaged.

C-suites and law firm management throughout the IP community have recently become more engaged in this issue and are invested in making meaningful changes. In an effort to capture this momentum, the goal of the boardroom was to discuss how to move from aspiration to implementation – identifying concrete and positive actions that companies and firms have successfully implemented and brainstorming new areas. The boardroom identified the following as the main areas for consideration:

  • being a company where women want to work;
  • attracting talent;
  • educating women and girls about careers in intellectual property;
  • providing effective mentorship;
  • offering meaningful flexibility in career paths and dayto- day logistics;
  • providing leave policies for all;
  • implementing numerical targets; and
  • promoting open conversations

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