2026 Q & A Update with IP Out
In celebration of the end of Pride Season, which runs from June to September, IPIC reached out again this summer to UK organization IP Inclusive to get an update from their IP Out division on what has, and has not, changed for LGBTQ+ people and their allies in the IP profession in the UK, since IPIC’s initial interview with the group in August 2022[1] and what takeaways there may be for Canadian IP Professionals. The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee’s Niki Mantini of Torys LLP sat down with IP Out’s current co-Chair Georgina Hart of Wiggin LLP and past co-Chair Isobel Barry of Carpmaels & Ransford LLP for a fantastic Q&A, as provided below.
As a reminder to our readers, what is IP Out?
Georgina: IP Out is a networking and support group for LGBTQ+ people and their allies who are working in the IP professions in the UK. It is a community within the wider IP Inclusive organization, which is a profession-wide body that is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion across a number of different areas in the IP sector as a whole.
IP Out organizes events throughout the year, which offer a mix of networking and educational opportunities. Our aim is to bring people together and to provide a setting for them to debrief, catch up, and share insights, stories, learnings and experiences around improving equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Isobel: We also work to provide resources to members and/or other organizations that support EDI initiatives for the LGBTQ+ community. For instance, a recent one that we are quite proud of is the Trans and Non-Binary Inclusivity Toolkit that we developed as a guide to help smaller firms determine where to start and how to implement Transinclusive policies in their workplaces.
How did each of you first get involved with IP Out and what does it mean to you?
Isobel: It’s been about 11 years. I started attending events organised by other professional organizations related to diversity but they were more broadly applicable across the entire legal profession, and they were also disproportionately attended by men. I went to an event with my now-wife and bumped into a gay woman who was a partner at another patent firm, and she let me know about IP Inclusive and specifically about the IP Out network, which was being set up. She suggested that I get involved and put me in touch with [Tom Leonard], who is in fact still on the committee today. So, I started there, and I have been around ever since.
Georgina: I joined IP Out in around 2018 I think, shortly after I had come out. My roommate at the time, who worked at the same law firm as me and had also recently come out, said that he had joined this network and put me onto it. That was around the time that law firms were starting to pay attention to the need for diversity groups and initiatives. So, I joined the committee then but have become more involved in recent years; for the past few years as Secretary, and then this year as co-Chair with [Kevin Rich].
For me, what has been so valuable about IP Out that it provides access to the wider profession beyond your specific firm network and allows you to share ideas with people who are in slightly different parts of the profession, whether a different size firm, or an in-house role. That lets you see how other people are approaching these issues. It was also really helpful to me when I first joined IP Out to meet and share experiences with like minded people but who weren’t part of my own organization as it allowed you to speak more candidly.
Isobel: As to what it means to me, it is the community. A lot of people around in the beginning of the organization would say that they thought they were “the only one” or that they didn’t know another queer person in the profession. So that community and the ability to get to know lots more people across the profession who identify as LGBTQ+ or who are allies, and even others in other parts of IP Inclusive, is important. And it is also a good way to be visible; and visibility is important. When I started with IP Out I was not very senior, but now I have more seniority and I think it is good to have a forum where you can be there for others and be proud to let people see that you’re there.
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in LGBTQ+ inclusion in the IP Profession since you joined IP Out?
Isobel: I think the biggest change – in society as a whole, as well as in the IP Profession – has been the mainstreaming of these discussions. You see more organizations ensuring that they have appropriate policies to explicitly support LGBTQ+ employees and moving from tolerance to active support or celebration, as some might say. Another change has been that people are so much more visible these days. I love seeing younger people especially really expressing and being themselves, for example, in the way that they dress or present. It’s not outrageous; it’s just normal. We’ve changed in the profession quite a lot from what was maybe 10 years ago a much more conservative environment.
Georgina: I definitely agree with Isobel, and in particular with the generational shift, especially within big law. There has been a move towards the profession being more representative of the demographics of the population: more women, more minority groups and members of various communities including the LGBTQ+ community. So, I think younger people coming in are more vocal, more open, and less apologetic about being exactly who they are. And you also see more representation at the leadership levels of organizations. Where previously people may not have been as open, or did not think their identity was relevant to their career, they are now realizing that it is important for those coming after them for them to be visible and to be in the rooms where the decisions are being made, or to be making the decisions themselves. Because that is how they can actually influence policies of an organization in a positive way.
Why is EDI for members of LGBTQ+ communities still important for IP professionals in 2026? What changes do you still hope to see in the future?
Georgina: Notwithstanding the positive changes, I think we have seen some backsliding in society in general recently in terms of EDI views and initiatives. And there are still many areas where there’s work to be done. I think one of the most obvious areas is within the trans and non-binary communities and in combatting the growing anti-trans movements that we’ve seen developing over the past few years. That’s one reason why we have increased and continued to focus on creating current resources for and providing support to the members of the trans and non-binary community within our group, including putting on some specific events relating to that community.
The other area that we are increasingly looking at and thinking about is intersectionality and working with our other communities. We have people in the profession who are very diverse and have a multitude of facets and it is key to understand how those overlapping characteristics and identities interact. We have been doing a number of recent events where we have brought in speakers to talk about intersectionality and how their various identities raise similar or different issues and how they fit together. Those events really reinforce the need for more collaboration across networks and across different groups of people to share stories and experiences. Because many of the people in these groups are going through similar challenges at the moment.
Isobel: I agree with that. And I would reiterate that one of the clearest indications as to why this is still so important today for us to continue this work and continue to be allies for one another is the pushback on and reduction of Trans rights in the UK recently. I hope that what our organization is doing to improve visibility and to normalize the conversation helps to protect against that. I also think there are likely still people in smaller organizations who might feel isolated, even if their organization is supportive of them. They may feel that they don’t really have the resources or support that they need, so there is still more to be done to be there for those individuals.
One of the things that has come up repeatedly is the importance of allyship both within and across communities. As we continue on in Pride season, do you have any advice or guidance for members of the profession who want to be better allies?
Isobel: Some of this is really sort of obvious, but don’t underestimate the value of wearing a pin, or a lanyard, or something that just shows that you are an ally. It makes people feel safer around you and in your organization. And particularly at this time of year, there are a lot of events that you can go to to show support and also to educate yourself. I personally try to go to events focussed on other minority groups: there is always something you can learn from those different perspectives.
Georgina: I completely agree. I think just showing up is the key thing. Demonstrating that you are interested in learning and supporting your colleagues. And then also being willing to say something – being vocal – when you see something happening that is not right or is inappropriate, whether that be calling someone out for their language or behaviour or checking in on someone who you think might have been affected by it. Those actions really make people feel that they are part of a supportive community where people are looking out for one another.
I do think sometimes that people are nervous about saying something wrong and so it is easy to say nothing. But, we will never get anywhere unless people are willing to risk not getting it perfectly right all the time. Educating yourself and making the effort counts.
For those of our members who work in smaller or less resourced organizations, how can they make an impact on EDI or get more involved?
Isobel: For finding community, these professional networks like IP Inclusive are invaluable and you can also take the next step and volunteer, join a committee or just get involved in making things happen, which is both rewarding but will also allow you to meet more people.
And if you are thinking about how to effect change in your own organization, obviously, it can be challenging if you are more junior. But, I would suggest a couple of approaches. First, look at the low-hanging fruit. If there are certain policies that you really think your organization ought to have in place and you do your research to determine that the majority of other organizations have something, you can make a case to try to get it implemented. If you do the legwork and make it as easy as possible for the organization, you may have more success. Second, find allies within the organization, perhaps people who have a bit more influence or have been around longer and can help you navigate the organization so that you can work together, that can be really effective.
Georgina: To add to that, one of the benefits of a smaller organization is that while they may not have the same budgets or resources, they may have the benefit of being more agile and flexible. Larger organizations can sometimes get very hampered in red tape or can be more cautious about public image or perception. Smaller organizations may be able to move and respond more dynamically to certain situations and may be able to do things on a more ad hoc basis.
If no network exists in your organization, the first thing may be to try to create some kind of community. It doesn’t have to involve a huge amount of work at first instance, it can just be a simple invitation for people to join a network, meet regularly to share experiences and grow things from there. That is how things started in my own firm, with a group of people that started marking certain relevant days of visibility and building awareness. Over time, it can develop into something broader. Even if it never expands beyond that initial small support group, that is still a massive plus, I think.
What steps has IP Out taken to build bridges with the UK IPO, other IP professional organizations (both domestic and foreign), and with other non-IP domestic organizations?
Isobel: Within the UK, it is a fairly small community. So we have committee members who are part of other groups. We have one member who works in the Intellectual Property Office, another who is heavily involved with the Charted Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) and there is a lot of overlap. These are not necessarily formal initiatives, but more overlapping groups that are working towards the same goals in parallel.
And some of our resources have involved collaboration with other groups. Our Trans and non-binary inclusivity toolkit includes a section that explains how to change your name, gender and other details with the various professional organizations. So, for that we went to those professional organizations to get that infromation and that resulted in some conversations about how they could improve their processes, etc.
Georgina: There are also other LGTBQ+ organizations that have some overlap with the IP Profession, including some which are sector-focused like OUTbio UK, which is for individuals working in the life-sciences industry. We often collaborate and share resources with them. We promote their events within our community and vice versa, or occasionally we host joint events. In fact, we are hopefully organizing one for this September. We have also written and inputted on articles in the past for organizations like CITMA and CIPA (Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys), which will often, particularly during Pride Month, include EDI/Pride focused pieces in their publications.
Internationally, there is a growing awareness of IP Inclusive and IP Out specifically and we are seeing a growing number of equivalent organizations for IP Professionals in other countries. With large conferences like INTA, which was hosted in London this year, we collaborated on an event with GLINTA as part of the INTA schedule. That was a very good opportunity for cross-border interactions and meetings. And I’ve just recently had a French IP LGBTQ+ organization reach out as they happened to be in London and wanted to meet. So, I think these cross-border relationships are gradually increasing. Much like what we are doing here with IPIC in Canada.
IPIC’s EDI Committee is only a few years old – what can our members learn from IP Out’s experiences? What has worked and what has not?
Isobel: I think people always appreciate educational events, although we are seeing some drop in attendances. Maybe since the COVID pandemic, people tend to venture out less in person. Although there can be a positive to having a smaller number of people in the room as it can facilitate really great conversations. But we would normally always do our events hybrid, so that people can join online. This also extends the reach geographically.
We also really try to capitalize on our events as much as possible. Where possible, we’ll make a recording that we can share after the event, do a follow-up blog post, try to get as much mileage as possible from the event. But we’ve also been fortunate to have some events that just really get a lot of attention – occasionally with a high-profile speaker --- people really tend to show up for those sort of things.
Georgina: As Isobel says, trying to make as much out of a particular event as possible and generating content from it is key. We are lucky to be part of the broader umbrella organization of IP Inclusive that can also help to promote and grow the reach of our events and materials and also to have a large and enthusiastic group of people on the committee who can help organise and promote great events.
I understand IP Out is celebrating its 10th year anniversary in 2026. What does it have planned? Any big goals for the future?
Georgina: We are still in the planning stages in terms of the exact event. But, we expect to be hosting a flagship event with the theme of “How Out Can I Be?”. It’s a call back to the first event we hosted in November 2016, and the aim is to have a speaker panel of both people who spoke in the early days as well as some newer voices to provide a reflection on how things were then and how far we have come. And then we will combine that with a social, celebration aspect to the event as well.
Isobel: Looking to the future, one thing we are trying to do is keep increasing our reach amongst people in different roles in organizations, including people in business services roles. That is a big goal for us for the future.
Where can people find out more about IP Inclusive and IP Out or about EDI in the IP Profession more broadly? What resources or organizations do you recommend?
Isobel: There is a lot of information on the IP Inclusive website, including years’ worth of event write-ups and think pieces. You can also find links there to other initiatives we haven’t had time to talk about, like Careers in Ideas for outreach to young people studying STEM who might not have heard of the profession, and collaborations with Jonathan’s Voice, a mental health charity for the IP community. You can also find our Trans-inclusion toolkit, though of course that is tailored to the UK.
[1] A link to that August 2022 Q&A can be found here: https://ipic.ca/english/blog/ip-out-2022-08-16 .
