CITMA Paralegal Conference - At the sharp end - where knowledge shapes practice

Once again, we’re delighted to offer a special super earlybird ticket for our Paralegal Conference. Book now to save £40 on our full rate – that’s over £100 if two colleagues join you. Great for you and your firm.

Your tickets include:

• Access to all sessions and networking opportunities
• Welcome refreshments, coffee and tea through the day, a delicious lunch, and networking drinks at the end of the conference
• Exclusive access to presentation slides

Tickets

• Super earlybird, if you book by April 24^th 2026:
  • Members: £290
  • Standard: £325

We’re delighted to announce De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms as our spectacular new venue for our Paralegal Conference 2026.

Located in London’s West End, the building dates back to 1775. With its art deco architecture, ornate ceilings, wood panelling and chandeliers, it was once home to the Freemasons’ Tavern, later becoming a hotel.

Once host to royalty and celebrities, today the Grand Connaught Rooms welcome a variety of business gatherings and personal celebrations. A truly unique building for a special CITMA conference experience.

Our venue is five minutes from Covent Garden and Holborn tubes, and 30-minute walk or a short taxi ride from Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston.

Exclusive hotel rates

We're pleased to share that DeVere Connaught Rooms offer exclusive hotel rates through their trusted partner, EventBeds. Click here for further details.

Earn five hours of CPD, setting you up to continue your professional development. Get in-depth, specialist insight into topics including:

• Transformation and cessation of effects
• Major changes facing the UK design industry
• The differing roles of a paralegal
• Updates on recent key case law and IPO developments
• Web domains and the world of tech and digital

Tuesday 22^nd September 2026

Simeon Bowen, UK IPO

Simeon is a Public Relations professional and external communications lead at the UK IPO. He specialises in stakeholder engagement and is experienced in strategic communication and internal communication. He has spoken at previous CITMA Paralegal Conferences, providing insight into the One Transformation Project and what it means for trade marks. 

Ruth Bryan, Stobbs

Ruth is an experienced IP paralegal with extensive working knowledge of multi-jurisdictional trade mark and design filing and prosecution, and both contentious and non-contentious matters, gained over a 30+ year career spanning both in-house and private practice. 

Ruth has managed large recordal, renewal and filing projects, including worldwide re-brands. Ruth generally likes to get her feet and teeth stuck in.

Originally from an in-house/industry background, Ruth has worked with all sizes of companies including FMCG multi-national Groups and a well-known media Group, assisting Counsel and advising Groups in respect of their large IP portfolios. In a past life, Ruth managed an African region and its international/regional brands. Ruth moved across to private practice several years ago.

Ruth is a LLB (Hons) graduate, with a minor in Marketing. Ruth is also a CITMA-qualified Paralegal, and enjoys her current seat on the CITMA Paralegal Events Working Group.

Rosanna Morello Carrieri, Stobbs

Rosanna leads the Designs Practice at Stobbs, which has recently been awarded UK Design Firm of the Year by Manging IP. She is also the current Chair of INTA’s Madrid System Subcommittee.

Rosanna is a qualified German lawyer and English Solicitor, with a Master’s degree from Hong Kong. She has extensive international experience in IP management and enforcement, having worked with multinational companies in a number of jurisdictions. After qualifying as a lawyer in Germany, Rosanna gained extensive experience in German Copyright litigation.

Prior to Stobbs, she worked for a renowned Brazilian law firm where she advised clients on all aspects of trade mark and design prosecution and litigation in Brazil and Latin America. In her current role, she focuses on advising design-led businesses of all sizes on design filing and enforcement strategies.

Daniel Hardman Smart, Stobbs

Dan joined Stobbs in July 2019 with a number of years of experience under his belt from private practice and industry in a career that has taken him out of the UK and to Switzerland and Germany.

Dan's practice covers the whole life cycle of a trade mark from clearance searches, applications and prosecution through to registration and enforcement. He has been an enthusiastic user of the International trade mark system for a number of years.

Having previously led a team at a provider of outsourced renewals, Dan oversees the Stobbs Renewals team that handles the firm's many renewals each year. Meeting the challenges faced by large corporate IP teams, much of his role is focussed on helping them with cost pressure so he also leads our Recordals function and a team that specialises in more isolated or less known jurisdictions. This also provides support to their wider internal teams meaning all our clients can benefit from efficiencies and cost savings.

He is an active volunteer within CITMA, where he currently serves as First Vice President as well as sitting on various groups and chairing the CITMA Paralegal Committee.

Kerri Ann Hazzard, Baker McKenzie

Kerri-Ann is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and High Court Litigator at Baker McKenzie, where she has been a member of the IP Team since 2016. She concentrates her practice in trade marks, designs, copyright and related IP, with a particular focus on contentious proceedings.

She has experience in brand enforcement, including conducting litigation in IPEC and the High Court, resolving complex disputes, negotiating settlement agreements, and orally representing clients in opposition and invalidation hearings before the UK IPO. She is a founding member of the CITMA Litigators' Club and a guest tutor at Nottingham Trent University on the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice. 

Lucy Headington-Horton, WIPO

Lucy is a senior legal Officer with the Madrid Legal Division, Brands and Designs Sector at WIPO. She provides legal advice, support and training to members, users and other stakeholders of the Madrid System, and assists IP Offices preparing to accede to the Madrid Protocol.  

Prior to joining WIPO in 2016, Lucy was a IP lawyer for many years, in private practice and in-house, working in the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong, China.  Her experience in private practice focused on advising clients on global trademark protection strategies, commercial agreements, enforcement and maintenance.

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. He’s an active member of INTA and CITMA, where he serves on various committees and working groups, and represents the paralegal community.

Kane has a strong background in trade mark formalities, renewals and management, as well as marketing and customer service. He’s passionate about delivering high-quality and efficient solutions to clients, enhancing brand protection and awareness, and fostering collaboration and innovation within the industry.

Haydn Simpson, Head of dotBrands, Abion 

Haydn has more than 20 years of experience in the Domain Name and Online Brand Protection industries. He specialises in working with all sizes of organisations to help them to understand, register and protect their Intellectual Property in the digital channel.  

He has worked with brands, governments, and NGOs on a global basis, shaping strategies and helping them to do better business online. 

Lynsey Stephenson, HGF

Having started her IP career 20 years ago, Lynsey has significant experience in all aspects of trade mark formalities. She was in-house for a FTSE 100 pharmaceutical company and was part of a team responsible for a portfolio of tens of thousands of trade marks, designs and domain names around the world. She now brings her vast knowledge to HGF, helping look after clients with larger portfolios.

• Payment online via debit or credit card only; proforma invoices are not available.
• Visa support letters can be requested as part of the booking process.
• Full terms and conditions apply.
• Last chance to book is Friday 11th September 2026