Last Friday, 11 September 2026, the IP Federation’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee was delighted to welcome a group of talented students to London for an afternoon exploring careers in intellectual property.

The event brought together IP professionals from across a range of organisations and disciplines for a panel discussion, networking session and interactive case study workshop. Attendees gained first-hand insight into the many different career paths available in patents, trade marks and wider IP practice (including within the solicitor and attorney professions), while hearing candid experiences from practitioners working across industry and private practice.

It was particularly encouraging to see such high levels of engagement from the students, who brought thoughtful questions, enthusiasm and diverse perspectives to the discussions. We hope the event provided a valuable introduction to the world of IP and inspired some of the next generation of IP professionals.

Thank you to everyone who helped organise, facilitate and support the event, and to Gowling WLG for hosting. Following the success of the event, we look forward to building on this momentum and creating further opportunities to introduce talented students to the diverse and rewarding careers available in intellectual property.