Welcome to our 2025 Annual Report.
When reflecting on the year just past, it is worth considering not only what we have achieved, but how we have evolved. In recent years, CIPA has increasingly found its voice as a confident and effective advocate for the profession and for the UK’s innovation ecosystem. In 2025, we have built on that progress, strengthening our role as a campaigning organisation, informed by evidence, grounded in expertise and trusted by government and our international partners.
The success of our work in protecting the UK’s membership of the European Patent Office during accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership demonstrated what CIPA can achieve when it speaks with clarity and purpose. That experience has shaped our approach in 2025. We have deepened our engagement with government, strengthened our international relationships and ensured that intellectual property remains central to discussions on trade, innovation and economic growth.
Much of this work necessarily takes place behind the scenes, but members can be confident that CIPA continues to be regarded as a trusted and influential voice. We have engaged constructively with Ministers and officials, contributing to discussions on trade strategy, support for innovative businesses and the role of IP in the UK’s wider economic framework. At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological change, it is more important than ever that the profession is represented with authority and credibility.
Alongside this external focus, we have continued to invest in the long-term strength of the profession. The approval of the Patent Scientist apprenticeship framework and parallel work on the IP Paralegal apprenticeship marks a significant step forward in widening access and supporting social mobility. This work is not simply about new routes into the profession; it is a statement of intent about the kind of profession we want to be: open, inclusive and future-facing.
We have also engaged actively with regulatory and educational developments, ensuring that reforms are shaped by the experience and expertise of the profession. Our approach has been consistent: to support evolution where it is needed, while safeguarding the high standards and practical training that define the excellence of the UK patent attorney profession.
More broadly, Council has continued to strengthen CIPA as an institution. We have enhanced our governance, reinforced our commitment to professional standards and ensured that we are well placed to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead. These are the foundations that enable us to act with confidence externally.
Throughout the year, we have also reflected on our future direction. Council has begun work on refreshing CIPA’s mission and strategic priorities, considering how we best support our members, influence policy and contribute to the UK’s innovation ecosystem in the years ahead. While that work will continue into 2026, it is clear that our focus will remain on professional excellence, policy influence and strengthening the community we serve.
On a personal note, I am proud of the way in which CIPA has continued to evolve. We are a professional body with a clear sense of purpose, a strong reputation and an increasing ability to shape the environment in which our members operate. That progress is down to our people, our volunteer members and our staff, whose expertise, commitment and judgement underpin everything we do. I hope that our members read this report with pride.