Following the post a couple of weeks ago about softball, we have now compiled an updated list of contact information for the captains, which can be found here.
More information about IP softball can be found on the same page.
This is just a reminder about the coffee club that we run.
Coffee Club is a very informal chance to (virtually) grab a coffee (or other suitable beverage) with other trainees around the UK. Each Coffee Club will last just 30 minutes. You may meet new people, you may see familiar faces â the point of this series is to help maintain old relationships, and build new ones, within the trainee community.
As a student member of CIPA you are entitled to claim a NUS TOTUM PRO card for free. The card is tailored for professional learners and offers discounts to support both your work and home life.
To request a card, email membership@cipa.org.uk, preferably including your membership number. You will be sent a link by email to redeem you card. The card lasts a year from activation, so you would need to contact CIPA for another code the following year.
Ashley Tambe, the Honorary Secretary at CIPA Informals, offers a personal glimpse into this yearâs Student Conference. From early morning preparations to the closing of the conference, hereâs a firsthand account of his day.
“With 160+ attendees, informative talks, and lovely feedback, itâs safe to say that the student conference was a success! It was a pleasure to be co-hosting this event alongside Lee Davies.”
7:00
“I wake up (way too early for my liking). Strangely, Iâm nervous about the moot court, and not the hosting itself. Sounds weird, right? I can explain. For hosting, I have plenty of friends in the crowd to give me a reassuring thumbs up. Thereâs no script to follow. If thereâs anything I forget to mention, I can always compromise. Plus, I will be joined by Lee Davies who is a hosting expert, and can I always just look to him if I need him to jump in.
Now the moot court on the other hand, I was given a witness statement to memorise, and a character to role-play. Firstly, despite having reviewed all the documents on the train to Birmingham, Iâve already forgotten it all. Secondly, as an expert witness, I will need to respond during cross-examination in a way that wonât unfairly bias the trainee volunteers, and thatâs harder than it sounds. The trainees spent weeks preparing arguments, and the strength of said arguments will largely depend on the responses that expert witnesses provide on the day. Iâll need to have another read-through of the documents during breakfast!”
9:30
You know how I said I wasnât nervous about the hosting? I take that back. I arrive at the venue and feel immediately overwhelmed by the buzzing atmosphere. I see familiar faces from last year, members of the Informals committee, and colleagues at my firm. Before I get to say hello to anyone, Iâm quickly whisked away for interviews, photos, and a brief chat about the day’s logistics. By the time that was over, there were only 10 minutes until I had to hit the stage! I run over to my friends for a quick catch-up, then check in with the committee members at the Informals stands. Riddhi and Epseeta suggest that Lee and I should walk on stage while Eye of the Tiger is playing in the background. I playfully pass this on to Lee. He makes it happen.
12:00
“Honestly, that went much better than expected. The crowd was very enthusiastic, and I made people laugh a few times. The sessions were fantastic too. Guy Warner, who was part of the session on the new exams, is a phenomenal presenter. I need to get tips from him in case Iâm ever doing a presentation like that myself! It was also interesting to hear about different career perspectives from Phillip Lendon, Daryl Bradley, and Debbie Slater. Before I announced a 30-minute break, I told everyone to set themselves a challenge of befriending at least three people who are not already a part of their companies. Now my job is to dart around the drinks lounge and make sure people are doing so!”
14.45
“In the past 2 hrs, weâve had a session titled âStarting Out in Patents: Donât Journey Aloneâ ran by Penelope Aspinall from Jonathanâs Voice, Andrea Brewster OBE from IPinclusive, and Elisabeth Pauli; in addition to a delicious lunch break. Again, the session was lovely and informative. I particularly liked the usage of an online poll that would be displayed on the whiteboard behind the speakers. Itâs a smart way to keep the crowd engaged. Also, Iâm getting into the groove of hosting now. Next up, the moot court⌔
17.10
“The day draws to a close. The moot court was extremely well done. I was mind-blown by the quality of the arguments presented by the trainees who volunteered. One of them had only been in the profession for 6 months, yet argued as if she was a partner with hundreds of cases under her belt! I didnât mess up any lines as an expert witness, though I did fall off the stage at one point. To be fair, I was told that I played off the fall well. I closed off the session by announcing hot topics (including upcoming yoga sessions, a football tournament, and a student induction day). Time for drinks!”