IP is a crucial element at the heart of Prevayl. We sat down with Patent Attorney Debbie Slater to understand Prevayl’s successful IP Culture and the unique ways the IP team have ingrained it into everyday.
Tell us about how you educated the Prevayl team on IP?
We have an informal and formal approach to education. Informally, we are happy to spend time with colleagues answering any questions they may have. Formally, we have delivered a two-hour “IP Basics” presentation for all Prevayl staff.
More recently, we have run sessions on how to understand and review patent specifications and a session on the protection of software and computer-implemented inventions.
How do you get a team to engage with the importance of IP and inventions? What have Prevayl done to promote this?
I think being available to chat about IP and how it can help the company is important. It’s about being part of the team rather than being seen as someone from outside telling people what to do.
Many years ago, someone came up with an analogy about head-office managers. “They are like seagulls: they fly in, make a lot of noise and then go home again.” I do not want the IP team to be seen in that way and Prevayl have been terrific at promoting that sense of togetherness and working as a team.
How important is it, especially when working in technology, to build IP into company culture and values?
It’s critical.
It is how we install a sense of ownership of our creativity and pride in what we do. It also provides us with a respect for third-party IP.
How do you think we can get more women involved in the IP industry?
If only I knew. A recent survey of IP professionals showed that there was still an over-representation of men (around 60%) and over 50% of IP professionals attended one of only nine red-brick universities. There are barriers there: not only for women, but for diversity and inclusion more generally.
We need to show that work in IP provides a variety of experiences and opportunities. I have an interest in education and I can combine this with my IP work through my involvement with patent attorney training and development.
I am about to embark on co-editing an updated version of the CIPA Patent Training Manual: I am really looking forward to this.
How did it feel being 14th in the list of top 50 patent filings in 2019?
I was chuffed. We now must build on this impressive start.
What was the most exciting IP project you’ve worked on to date?
Working with Prevayl has certainly being an exciting time for me: the sense of achievement and excitement amongst the team is palpable.
What are your IP predictions for this year?
Crystal ball time…..
Obviously COVID19 will have an impact and I see a rise in Covid-related innovations: not only in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic inventions, but in things that will make living in the post-Covid world easier.
I do hope that the creative arts will be able to flourish – we need to be able to nurture our creative side.