CITMA Paralegal Conference - Skills strategies and success

Last year’s inaugural paralegal conference was a sold out event. This year, we have upgraded to a bigger space in order to accommodate more delegates.

We will enjoy BMA House in Bloomsbury, which will offer a first-class learning environment easily reachable from across London and beyond.

For the 2024 Paralegal Conference, we are offering you a private venue to focus fully on your learning and development.

Sarah Cantrill, D Young & Co

Sarah qualified as a CITMA paralegal in 2017, a CIPA paralegal in 2018 and a Chartered Manager in 2021.

She is now working as an IP Support Services Co-Ordinator for D Young & Co LLP and is currently the lead for the CITMA Paralegal Events Working Group.

She is an active member of the CITMA Paralegal Committee and contributes towards the planning, teaching and marking of the CITMA Paralegal Course.

Kate Cheney, D Young & Co

Kate has worked in private practice for over 20 years at several leading IP firms and has built up a wide variety of experience in that time.

She has represented a very diverse range of clients from small software start-ups that have gone global to multi-nationals in the pharmaceutical, fashion and food and drink sectors.  

On a day-to-day basis Kate advises on the inherent registrability of trade marks, trade mark clearance searching, filing and prosecution of UK and Madrid Protocol trade mark applications and oppositions, enforcement of trade marks, negotiation of settlement agreements and trade mark filing strategies.

Ian Collier, Stobbs IP

Ian has held almost every role in the trade mark support and administration environment over a 20+ year career, Ian can now usually be found at the space between people and data. Supporting people in reaching their career goals and making intellectual property data as useable as possible.

Ian holds the CITMA Paralegal certificate and is a member of the CITMA Paralegal Events Working Group.

Ian is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Rachel Culverwell, Keltie LLP

Rachel's responsibilities include the filing and management of trade mark applications up to registration, assessing incoming and outgoing communications for deadlines, managing attorney deadlines and corresponding with the relevant official trade mark bodies and agents regarding trade mark issues.

Rachel joined Keltie in February 2014 having previously spent 12 years in other firms of patent and trade mark attorneys.

She passed the CITMA Paralegal Course in 2005.

Erin Meakin, Wiggin LLP

Erin is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and Member of CITMA

She has ten years of experience in the trade mark sector.

She received Distinctions in both her Postgraduate Certificate in Trade Mark Law and Practice at Queen Mary, University of London and the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice at Nottingham Trent University

Gail Nicol, Lincoln IP

Gail has over 25 years’ experience within the IP industry across a range of roles and is an integral part of Lincoln IP’s trade mark practice group.  She is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, advising clients on all aspects of UK trade mark law. 

Gail has a particular interest in US trade mark law and use requirements.

In addition, Gail is an elected Student Representative to the CITMA Council and sits on several CITMA Committees including the Education, Qualification and Standards Committee, Paralegal Committee and the Paralegal Events Working Group.

Kane Ridley, Abion

Kane is a Partner and Director of Brand Operations at Abion, where he oversees the strategic and operational aspects of trade mark and domain name services. Kane is also an active member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA), where he serves on various committees and working groups, and represent the paralegal community.

Kane has a strong background in trade mark formalities, renewals, and management, as well as marketing and customer service.

He is passionate about delivering high-quality and efficient solutions to clients, enhancing brand protection and awareness, and fostering collaboration and innovation within the industry.

Mike Tennant, Tennant IP

Michael Tennant started his career in trade marks at Tennant IP in 2015.

He obtained Chartered status and was appointed a Director in 2018. Michael represents a wide range of clients in the UK and EU, from FTSE 100 companies to start-ups and has already handled several high-profile cases in his relatively young career.

His experiences in business and commerce give him real empathy and understanding with clients and he enjoys nothing more than discussing and educating others about the world of trade marks.

Lisa Waithe, Kilburn & Strode

Lisa began her career as a paralegal and has many years experience in the world of trade marks. Prior to embarking on her training, Lisa was a paralegal at Kilburn & Strode.  She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in IP and has extensive experience with filing strategy, portfolio management, complex recordals, and trade mark prosecution. 

As well as sitting on CITMA’s Paralegal Committee, Lisa is also a long term active member of various CITMA working groups. She played an integral role in the creation of CITMA’s online foundation courses and in the creation of the CITMA Paralegal Competency Standards. She has also lectured on the highly esteemed CITMA Paralegal course and continues to contribute to the workings of the course.    

Earn five hours' CPD, setting you up to continue your professional development.

Our speakers will offer their insight into a wide range of topics, including:

• Recordals and assignments 
• Taking control of your career development
• An update on recent key case law 
• Project management and data migration

Your ticket gives you access to our packed one day programme, and includes the following:

• Exclusive content and talks
• Complimentary drinks reception
• The chance to earn five hours’ CPD
• Lunch, tea, coffee and refreshments throughout the day

Please use this justification letter to request approval to attend the CITMA Paralegal Conference: