CEO of the Year
The judges are looking for an exceptional individual with a consistent history of service above and beyond the call of duty for their organisation, and their industry. The winner will have built or developed a business by using its intellectual property portfolio to drive growth and value.
- Briefly outline the background of the chief executive, the business model of their firm and its intellectual property portfolio
Scored out of 5
- Explain the chief executive’s vision for using intellectual property to drive growth.
- Describe the specific changes the chief executive made to the firm’s IP strategy and the reasoning behind those changes.
- Describe the implementation measures underpinning the execution of IP strategy.
- Provide evidence of the positive results achieved by the company as a consequence of the CEO’s vision, changes and implementation of IP strategy.
- Give details of the chief executive’s commitment to building organisational understanding of intellectual property rights and commercialisation.
Each component scored out of 5
Copyright Law Firm of the Year
We seek to recognise firms that have demonstrated exceptional client support, who understand the complex needs of their clients and seek to enable them to achieve commercial solutions, be more competitive and ultimately more profitable. The judges will be looking for examples of innovative and flexible working, an understanding of the client’s real business needs, consistent tactical skill and commercial sense.
- Briefly outline the progress made by the firm over the past year in the relevant field.
Scored out of 5
Provide instances and evidence that demonstrates the firm’s achievements in terms of:
- Successful projects, settlements or cases that exemplify cost-effective performance
- Outstanding legal expertise
- Service innovations
- Strategic vision in its chosen field
- Outstanding client care
- Delivering positive financial benefits to a client business or businesses
Each component scored out of 5
Domain Name/Online Strategy of the Year for Business
The Domain Name or Online Strategy of the Year Award, is open to any individual or team in business who has demonstrated the strongest understanding and record of achievement in selecting, exploiting, managing and sustaining their domain names. Judges will be looking for examples of flexibility, range of service and support, innovation in technology and implementation, and internal customer service and quality.
- Outline the most significant example of exceptional commercial understanding, performance quality and internal client support in the past year.
Scored out of 5
Give details of what else the individual or team has accomplished this year in terms of:
- Influencing the success of the business or making an impact on a commercial problem or opportunity.
- Examples of quality technical advice.
- Evidence of real innovation.
- Examples of monetised strategic implementation.
Each component scores 5
Domain Name/Online Strategy of the Year for Law Firms
This is open to any law firm or consultancy that has demonstrated the strongest understanding and record of achievement of supporting a client in selecting, exploiting, managing and sustaining their domain names. Judges will be looking for examples of flexibility, range of service and support, innovation in technology and implementation, and customer service and quality.
- Outline the most significant example of exceptional commercial understanding, performance quality and client support in the past year.
Scored out of 5
Give details of what else the firm or consultant has accomplished this year in terms of:
- Influencing the success of a client’s business or making an impact on a commercial problem or opportunity.
- Examples of quality technical advice.
- Evidence of real innovation.
- Examples of monetised strategic implementation.
Each component scores 5
Innovative IP Strategy Design or Execution
Entries are encouraged from companies that have created and/or implemented an IP strategy that is well-aligned with overall business strategy and is fundamental to business direction, profitability and development.
- Describe the firm’s business model and briefly outline how its IP strategy was designed to fit with this model.
Scored out of 5
- Outline an ideal IP portfolio for the company.
- Set out what the firm needs to do in order to develop this portfolio and what progress it has made in the past year.
- Specify the critical milestones for the IP strategy and their links to other business milestones (eg R&D accomplishments, funding needs).
- Provide evidence of consistent achievement of milestones
- Explain the strategy and tactics for driving revenue and profit from the firm’s desired IP portfolio
- Outline the innovative elements of the strategy in comparison to industry norms
- Give details of the process for reviewing and updating the strategy and evidence that this takes place consistently.
Each component scored of 5
IP Law Firm of the Year
We will also recognise an Overall IP Law Firm of the Year , chosen from the winners of the four categories above.
IP Law Firm of the Year in an Emerging Market
We seek to recognise firms that have demonstrated exceptional client support, who understand the complex needs of their clients and seek to enable them to achieve commercial solutions, be more competitive and ultimately more profitable. The judges will be looking for examples of innovative and flexible working, an understanding of the client’s real business needs, consistent tactical skill and commercial sense.
- Briefly outline the progress made by the firm over the past year in the relevant field.
Scored out of 5
Provide instances and evidence that demonstrates the firm’s achievements in terms of:
- Successful projects, settlements or cases that exemplify cost-effective performance
- Outstanding legal expertise
- Service innovations
- Strategic vision in its chosen field
- Outstanding client care
- Delivering positive financial benefits to a client business or businesses
Each component scored out of 5
IP Lawyer or Executive of the Year
The IP Lawyer or Executive, is open to any individual private practice or in-house lawyer or IP specialist. This award will be given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated technical skill, innovation, and extraordinary levels of legal and/or commercial competence which really set them apart from the rest. Judges will be looking for individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to quality advice, real entrepreneurial spirit in enabling their client or organisation to get the right commercial result, and their ability to contribute to strategy.
- What has been the individual’ most significant contribution in the year?
Scored out of 5
Give details of what the individual or team has accomplished this year in terms of:
- Any benchmark cases with examples of how the individual made a significant difference to the final result
- Significant contributions to development or execution of IP strategy or portfolio management
- Finding new ways to monetise or protect existing rights
- Examples of quality advise technically, tactically, or in terms of regulation.
- Any evidence of precedent setting or innovation.
Scored out of 5 for each component
Outstanding IP Portfolio Management/Development
in the LifeSciences industries
in the Consumer or Luxury Goods sectors
in the Culture, Media or Sport sectors
in the Technologies and eMedia industries
These four awards are designed to showcase the way in which skilled management of an intellectual property portfolio can influence the fundamental success of a business, whether large or small, in four different industry verticals.
The judging criteria are common to all four awards:
- Briefly outline the firm’s intellectual property portfolio, how it was assembled and why and how this underpins the business as a whole.
Scored out of 5
Give details of the major decisions, changes and actions taken in respect of the IP portfolio over the past year and the financial impact or implications of these on the success of the business:
- Describe the Portfolio size and associated costs
- Detail In-licensing and out-licensing activity
- Outline key filing and registration decisions and actions
- List sales and purchases of individual IP assets or other companies
- Describe measures taken to guard against and detect infringement
- Describe measures to address infringement, including negotiation, litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
- Detail any other decision, action or change which has materially influenced the value of the portfolio or increased its monetisation
- Quantify the impact of these elements on the value of the portfolio and/or profitability of the business
Each component scored out of 5
Overall Winner, Outstanding IP Portfolio Management or Development
We will also recognise an Overall Winner, Outstanding Portfolio Management/Development , chosen from the winners of the four categories above.
Patent Law Firm of the Year
We seek to recognise firms that have demonstrated exceptional client support, who understand the complex needs of their clients and seek to enable them to achieve commercial solutions, be more competitive and ultimately more profitable. The judges will be looking for examples of innovative and flexible working, an understanding of the client’s real business needs, consistent tactical skill and commercial sense.
- Briefly outline the progress made by the firm over the past year in the relevant field.
Scored out of 5
Provide instances and evidence that demonstrates the firm’s achievements in terms of:
- Successful projects, settlements or cases that exemplify cost-effective performance
- Outstanding legal expertise
- Service innovations
- Strategic vision in its chosen field
- Outstanding client care
- Delivering positive financial benefits to a client business or businesses
Each component scored out of 5
Trademark Law Firm of the Year
We seek to recognise firms that have demonstrated exceptional client support, who understand the complex needs of their clients and seek to enable them to achieve commercial solutions, be more competitive and ultimately more profitable. The judges will be looking for examples of innovative and flexible working, an understanding of the client’s real business needs, consistent tactical skill and commercial sense.
- Briefly outline the progress made by the firm over the past year in the relevant field.
Scored out of 5
Provide instances and evidence that demonstrates the firm’s achievements in terms of:
- Successful projects, settlements or cases that exemplify cost-effective performance
- Outstanding legal expertise
- Service innovations
- Strategic vision in its chosen field
- Outstanding client care
- Delivering positive financial benefits to a client business or businesses
Each component scored out of 5
Young IP Lawyer/Exec of the Year
This category, is open to any individual private practice or in-house lawyer or executive under the age of 35. This award will be given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated commitment to personal and professional development, technical skill, innovation, and high levels of legal and/or commercial competence which set them apart from their peers.
- What has been the individual’ most significant achievement in the past year?
Scored out of 5
Give details of what the individual or team has accomplished this year in terms of:
- Significant cases or projects with examples of how the individual made a significant difference to the final result
- Contribution to the development of new ways to monetise or protect existing IP rights or detect infringement
- Examples of quality advice technically, tactically, or in terms of regulation.
- Any evidence of precedent setting or innovation.
Scored out of 5 for each component
