AI procurement guidance for IP professionals
Our three-part top 5 tips series gives Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys and IP professionals a practical framework for safely adopting AI tools.
Welcome to a three-part Top 5 Tips Series created to support Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys and related IP professionals in understanding, evaluating, and safely adopting AI-based tools and services within their practices.
Collectively, the series provides a structured, practical framework that reflects insights from the NashTech review and has been refined to address the specific operational, professional, and regulatory considerations relevant to the IP sector.
The series is organised into three distinct but interconnected parts, each addressing a core area of AI procurement and governance:
This section focuses on the foundational criteria firms should use when selecting and working with AI vendors. It outlines practical steps for assessing vendor credibility, long-term partnership potential, data handling standards, and the transparency of their governance and control environments. The aim is to help practitioners establish whether a supplier can be relied upon as a trusted partner in the delivery of AI solutions.
Read part A
- Part B – Critical risk assessment (to be published Monday 23rd February)
This section highlights the key technical, operational, and legal risks associated with the deployment of AI tools in professional contexts. It examines issues such as hallucination prevention, explainability, auditability, cybersecurity, data privacy, global data segregation, and the need for robust due-diligence documentation. The guidance is designed to help firms identify, assess, and mitigate the risks that may arise during implementation and ongoing use.
- Part C – Liability and compliance (to be published Monday 2nd March)
This section outlines the professional, contractual, and regulatory obligations that must be considered when adopting AI solutions. It addresses the allocation of liability between firms and vendors, the continued professional responsibilities of legal practitioners, insurance expectations, cross-jurisdictional compliance requirements, and the importance of internal stakeholder engagement. The objective is to support firms in establishing clear accountability frameworks and ensuring compliance across all relevant areas.
Taken together, the three parts provide a comprehensive, practical, and accessible reference for any firm considering the adoption of AI technologies within trade mark and wider IP practice. While the guidance reflects current best practice, it is intended as an educational resource rather than a prescriptive checklist, enabling firms to apply the principles flexibly according to their own risk appetite, operational context, and client obligations.