The regulatory objectives which underpin all of IPReg’s activities are:
- protecting and promoting the public interest;
- supporting the constitutional principle of the rule of law;
- improving access to justice;
- protecting and promoting the interests of consumers;
- promoting competition in the provision of legal services;
- encouraging an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession;
- increasing public understanding of the citizen’s legal rights and duties;
- promoting and maintaining adherence to the professional principles
- promoting the prevention and detection of economic crime
Download a copy of our 2024/25 Business Plan.
In January 2023, the IPReg Board set new strategic priorities for the next 3-4 years:
• To carry out our regulatory activities proactively, effectively and inclusively, ensuring the efficient use of resources;
• Increasing the range of good quality education providers accredited by IPReg, in particular as a tool to increase the diversity of the trade mark and patent attorney professions;
• Increase the public profile of IPReg to the regulated community and users of IP legal services.
These were "re-cast" by the Board in November 2023 to:
A. Users of IP legal services and the public
Strategic priority: To improve consumer knowledge and empowerment among users of IP legal services.
We will do this by:
- Increasing the public profile of IPReg to the regulated community and users of IP legal services.
- Increasing our understanding of the needs and expectations of users of IP legal services.
- Providing targeted and proportionate information to enable those users to make informed choices about their legal adviser.
- Increasing our understanding of the needs and expectations of all types of regulated attorneys/firms and disseminating information about best practice.
B. The profession (current and future)
Strategic priority: Setting, promoting and enforcing high quality education and professional standards for entry to the professions.
We will do this by:
- Using data and insights from our regulatory activity to influence the future of the profession in a way that ensures that appropriate standards are maintained and routes to entry onto the registers are varied and fit for purpose.
- Encouraging an increase in the good quality providers of qualification pathways and examinations in particular as a tool to increase the diversity of the trade mark and patent attorney professions.
- Gathering data about the diversity of the profession (attorneys and students) to inform our decision making.
C. IPReg
Strategic priority: Carrying out our regulatory activities proactively, effectively and inclusively, ensuring the efficient use of resources.
We will do this by:
- Building our capacity to understand and respond to global and market trends (including the use of technology) that impact on intellectual property matters, the wider environment and our approach to regulation.
- Acting quickly and consistently when we identify potential breaches of regulatory requirements and conducting investigations efficiently and effectively.
- Encouraging innovation and competition in the provision of regulated IP legal services.