WIPR Diversity Top 100 2024
Welcome to World IP Review’s Diversity in IP listings 2024 where we recognise and celebrate those who drive positive change in the IP community
We recently ran a survey on diversity in IP, which also allowed industry professionals to nominate their candidates for this list. By combining these results with marketplace research carried out by our in-house team, we can reveal the outstanding individuals who have been recognised for their exceptional contributions to IP across four different categories (see categories below)
Congratulations to everyone who made the WIPR Diversity Top 100 list for 2024! Your dedication and commitment to driving meaningful change in the IP community is truly inspiring.
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CEO IPOS As chief executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), Lee is leading the Singapore IP Strategy 2030 (SIPS 2030).
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Director, IP & Life Science Department Lundgrens Emilie Lerstrøm is a lawyer and director in Lundgrens’ IP & life sciences department
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Partner WBD Kevin Lyn leads Womble Bond Dickinson’s (US) mechanical patent team and is a member of the electrical, software and technology patent team within the firm’s IP group.
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Managing Partner Fidus Law Chambers Shwetasree Majumder founded Fidus Law Chambers in 2008, and concentrates her practice in litigation, enforcement and counselling in IP, technology, advertising and trade secrets matter.
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Director, patents Murgitroyd Beth Marshall is a director, patents at Murgitroyd.
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IP Practices Manager D Young & Co Vicky Maynard is the IP practices manager at D Young & Co
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Partner Shook, Hardy & Bacon Elena McFarland joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon in 2007 in the area of IP and is now a partner.
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Associate general counsel, IP Mattel Michael Moore is a senior leader in the global toy industry, serving as the associate general counsel and senior director at Mattel
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Partner Axinn Jason Murata is a patent attorney who represents pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and other companies in contentious trials and appeals
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Partner DLA Piper Aoife Murphy is an experienced commercial litigator with a particular focus on IP.
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Executive director EUIPO João Negrão officially became executive director of EUIPO in October 2023 and D&I has emerged as high on his agenda.
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Partner Paris, Korea Group, Head of In Herbert Smith Freehills Alexandra Neri leads the IP and technology, media and telecom (TMT) practice in Paris.
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Partner Nordemann Anke Nordemann-Schiffel is an expert in the fields of copyright law, trademark law, press law and competition law, as well as in international law.
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Vice president and associate general counsel Amazon Dana Northcott is vice president and associate general counsel of IP at Amazon.
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Senior counsel Castrén & Snelman Hanna Paloheimo is responsible for Castrén & Snelman’s life sciences practice
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Patent and trademark attorney European Union Intellectual Property Office Anna Pasiut is an IP expert with more than 20 years of experience, and currently works in the legal department of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
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Partner Coates IP Allisen Pawlenty has more than 20 years of trademark experience as a senior partner at the largest US trademark practice and in-house at Amazon.
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Partner Adams & Adams Nthabisheng Phaswana is a partner in the firm’s Africa patent department.
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Partner Adams & Adams Vishen Pillay is a patent partner in the Durban office of Adams & Adams.
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Counsel Gide Loyrette Nouel Marie-Ange Pozzo di Borgo has been a member of Gide's IP practice group since 2013.
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Chair, Canadian Intellectual Property and Technology Group DLA Piper Sangeetha Punniyamoorthy practises IP litigation and provides strategic advice in the procurement and enforcement of global brands in a variety of industries, with a focus on pharmaceuticals.
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Partner Morrison Foerster Bita Rahebi serves as co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s global IP litigation group and cross-disciplinary IP group and is a co-leader of its semiconductor industry group
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Senior product counsel Autodesk Smita Rajmohan moved to Autodesk as senior counsel where she heads the AI/ML
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Partner Groombridge, Wu, Baughman and Stone Megan Raymond is one of the foremost practitioners at one of the most important venues for resolving patent disputes in the US
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Partner Dechert Andrea Reid is a former chemist turned patent attorney with more than three decades of experience in the life sciences industry...
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Partner Wanhuida Haiyan Ren is a partner at Wanhuida IP and a member of the firm’s management committee.
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Associate general counsel Rivian Romi Akpala has worked with Rivian’s legal team to spearhead the creation of a new legal, diversity and belonging committee aimed at increasing diversity in the legal profession.
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Human resources manager Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch Malgorzata Rutkowska has spearheaded BSKB’s effort to create a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEI&A) Committee.
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Partner Harmsen Utescher Karin Sandberg is a partner at Harmsen Utescher. Her practice areas are German and international trademark law, unfair competition law, copyright and design law, including IP litigation.
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Partner Arnold Ruess Cordula Schumacher is a partner at Arnold Ruess. She specialises in IP law and, in particular, patent litigation. S
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Partner and patent counsel Montaury Mônica Gurvitz holds a BSc in biomedical sciences from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro and a BSc in chemical engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
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Partner Harrity & Harrity Elaine Spector is a patent attorney with over 20 years of experience in IP law.
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Of counsel Cravath, Swaine & Moore Kathryn-Ann Stamm started her legal career at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in 2016 and found herself quickly drawn to IP.
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Partner Haynes Boone Vera Suarez is a registered patent attorney and partner in the Dallas office of Haynes Boone.
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Partner ZICO Law Pawarisa (Fon) Suwannachote is a partner, IP lawyer, and patent agent at ZICO IP Thailand.
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Partner and regional IP director Latin Alliance Fabiola Torres Corletto leads Latin Alliance’s IP department as regional director.
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Co-head of IP Department and Head of China IP Practice Group Deacons Annie Tsoi has 30 years’ experience in advising on all aspects of IP work.
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Associate Adams & Adams Nontando Tusi is an associate in the trademark litigation department and primarily assists with a broad range of litigious IP matters in South Africa and throughout Africa
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Partner White & Case With a focus on practical support and shared success, Anita Varma has facilitated various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that benefit individuals, her firm and the IP and legal community at large.
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Partner NautaDutilh Florence Verhoestraete has been practising IP law since 1994, with a focus on patents, trade secrets, trademarks and unfair competition litigation.
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Director USPTO Kathi Vidal serves as the under secretary of commerce for IP and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Partner Lusheng Carol Wang is co-deputy head of dispute resolution at Lusheng and head of its Shanghai Office.
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Partner Boult Wade Tennant Catherine Wolfe is a leading partner in Boult Wade Tennant’s trademark team.
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Partner PatPol Monika Zielińska is a Polish and European patent attorney and an advocate who specialises in trademarks, industrial designs and copyrights.