CHANGE DRIVERS
Bright sparks
This year, for the first time, WIPR has created and researched a new category that recognises and celebrates the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work undertaken—and often sparked—by members of the business services teams in IP firms and companies.
If we are to promote a spirit of inclusion, we must recognise all those who work in the IP industry and have done significant work to advance DEI, including those in business services roles such as marketing and human resources.
We would encourage all law firms and companies seeking to enhance their DEI credentials to appreciate the powerful and essential work done by these important team members.
Brigitta Best
Manager, BestIP Rechtsanwälte (Germany)
Brigitta Best is responsible for all management with BestIP Rechtsanwälte including human resources, marketing and internal organisation. Best is passionate about supporting and promoting DEI, and creating an inclusive environment that welcomes all individuals, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. Best has successfully increased the firm’s DEI outreach initiatives, by partnering with Charta der Vielfalt, a German non-profit association that aims to embed diversity in the economy and society.
She has conducted pro bono work for LGBTQ+ organisation Rosa Lëtzebuerg, organised DEI projects at a local school, and worked with transgender artists, as well as volunteering at Luxembourg Pride
Vivian Coco
Marketing director, Licks Attorneys (Brazil)
Vivian Coco was responsible for the foundation of the firm’s DEI strategy, leading some of the most important projects, including the extension of maternity and paternity leaves to all employees, as well as the promotion of lectures and events on unconscious bias, women in IP and other topics related to DEI. Coco was also responsible for the firm’s adherence to the United Nations Global Compact last year.
In her master’s degree in business management, she delved into DEI practices in the legal market, exploring the motivations behind major Brazilian firms investing in initiatives to manage diversity and foster inclusion. She has consistently published articles in national and international media outlets on the subject.
Coco is a member of the DEI shared interest group of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) in the US—the only Latin American member so far. She was recently invited to lecture on a panel on this subject in the next LMA annual meeting in April 2024.
She is also a guest teacher specialising in DEI policies for master’s and post-graduate classes at universities in Brazil.
”Vivian Coco was responsible for the foundation of the firm’s DEI strategy, leading some of the most important projects, including the extension of maternity and paternity leaves to all employees.”
Gillian Davison
Talent acquisitions manager, Carpmaels & Ransford (UK)
Gillian Davison leads recruitment for the firm’s legal professional and business services vacancies. She also manages resourcing for its annual trainee patent attorney intake, summer intern programme and open day. Davison is constantly thinking of new ways to make the recruitment processes fairer for candidates, including removing the potential for unconscious bias, accommodating neurodiversity issues and introducing contextualised recruitment—whereby a job applicant’s unique personal circumstances are taken into account when assessing their application.
She also proposes new ways to increase the firm’s outreach programme, by partnering with specialist organisations including graduate recruitment agency, Sanctuary Graduates, and by organising a Black Heritage student insight event.
Justin Farrance
Global DEI ambassador, senior manager, Allen & Overy (UK)
Justin Farrance is Allen & Overy’s first global ambassador for DEI, working closely with communications, clients, senior leadership, the DEI team and more than 40 international offices to fully embed the firm’s DEI agenda. He is also a social mobility ambassador at the Law Society of England and Wales, and founded a fast-scaling charity, Grow Mentoring, to support law firms and large companies to collaborate on and advance DEI.
As a gay man and first-generation university student from Essex, he is determined that his inaugural role at A&O and achievements will inspire others in law to be proud of their background and diversity.
”Justin Farrance founded a fast-scaling charity, Grow Mentoring, to support law firms and large companies to collaborate on and advance DEI.”
Maria Hall
Chief marketing and business development officer, Mewburn Ellis (UK)
Maria Hall is passionate about making a difference to the firm’s employees, local community and the world-at-large. She has been instrumental in the development of Mewburn Ellis’ approach to menopause, championing policy development, training, and an action group, as well as writing and speaking on the topic externally. Hall has also played a key role in the establishment of the Women of Mewburn Ellis Network (WoMEn), which aims to support women at the firm to be the best they can be.
As the environmental, social and corporate governance lead, she has developed the firm’s approach to human rights, the environment and ethics. This work has been recognised by the sustainability ratings agency EcoVadis, which has ranked Mewburn as ‘silver’ for the second year running, placing the firm in the top 17% of all companies assessed worldwide.
Monifa Phillips
Trainee patent attorney, Appleyard Lees (UK)
During her time training to be a fully qualified patent lawyer, Monifa Phillips has worked with IP Inclusive to reinvigorate the IP & ME committee for 2022, including recruiting new committee members. The IP & ME community focuses on ethnic minority IP professionals, although it is open to anyone in the IP professions who shares IP Inclusive’s values and objectives.
It aims to celebrate diversity in the IP professions; support ethnic minority IP practitioners at all stages of their careers; assist and inspire ethnic minorities with the necessary aptitude and skill set to enter the IP professions, and to support stakeholders in the IP professions and the wider legal profession to better understand and address issues around DEI, with respect to ethnic minorities.
Phillips organised, and often hosted, a number of online coffee mornings for IP & ME, which provided informal opportunities to talk about experiences or culture, discrimination, and allyship. She hosted a dinner, sponsored by Appleyard Lees, at a Caribbean restaurant in Manchester for Black History Month 2022. This was open to anyone working in IP and interested in the IP & ME community.
For South Asian Heritage Month in July 2023, Phillips worked with her colleague Riddhi Patel to record and publish interviews with members of the South Asian community in IP. These are available as podcasts, and some are available in written form through IP Inclusive.
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