Reviewed 30 November 2008

Patent Office Mediation Service judged a success

The Patent Office has won a prestigious award in this year’s annual CEDR Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution Awards for the introduction of a new mediation service to help companies and individuals involved in intellectual property (IP) disputes.

The award ceremony held on 29 September is an annual event organised by CEDR, The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, and was attended by 250 leading figures from the Alternative Dispute Resolution and legal community.

Against tough competition the Patent Office Mediation Service won the Public Sector Award. The independent panel of judges said;

“That the Patent Office had made an extraordinary achievement in introducing ADR (alternative dispute resolution) into its work in resolving disputes. It showed leadership and innovation, with the ability to impact on how an entire sector will manage its conflicts.”

Ron Marchant Chief Executive of the Patent Office said;

"Effective enforcement of rights is one of our priorities, and we hope that in the future mediation and our mediation service will make an increasing contribution to resolution of disputes as an alternative to expensive court action."

Editors' notes:

Category Winners

Professions:

  • SJ Berwin – Winner
  • Fenwick Elliott – Runner up
  • Herbert Smith – Runner up
  • Lewis Silkin – Runner up

Innovation:

  • Department for Constitutional Affairs – Winner
  • Eversheds – Runner up
  • Rhys Clift (Hill Taylor Dickinson) – Runner up

Public Sector:

  • The Patent Office – Winner
  • Manchester Small Claims In Court – Runner up
  • Nabarro Nathanson – Runner up

International:

  • International Finance Corporation – Winner
  • Hammonds – Runner up
  • The International Trade Centre – Runner up

Publication:

  • Mediators on Mediation by Chris Newmark (Baker and McKenzie) and Anthony Monahan (Herbert Smith) - Winner
  • EU Mediation Atlas by Jayne Singer – Runner up

Business:

  • Batmark Ltd – Winner
  • Mediation And Training Alternatives – Runner up
  • Nominet – Runner up

Young Achiever:

  • Jayne Singer (CMS Cameron McKenna) – Winner
  • Felicity Howatt (Denton Wilde Sapte) – Runner up
  • Beverley Ruth Tarr, Chicago – Runner up

  1. The Patent Office mediation service was launched in April 2006 and covers all types of Intellectual Property (IP) rights. This includes the unregistered copyright and design rights, as well as the registered rights like patents, trademarks and registered designs. The Patent Office supports the move towards using mediation and has a team of accredited mediators with extensive experience of dealing with IP disputes.
  2. Mediation is one form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). It allows opposing parties to talk about their dispute and, hopefully, come to an agreement without the need for a court hearing. The mediator’s job is not to reach a decision on the dispute but to help the parties work out possible solutions to it.
  3. The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) External Link is the leader in the development of neutral-assisted dispute resolution. It is a non-profit organisation and its mission is to encourage and develop cost effective dispute prevention and dispute resolution in commercial and public sector disputes and in civil litigation. CEDR operates in the UK and internationally and has been instrumental in helping to bring mediation into the heart of business practice and into the judicial system. CEDR Mediator Accreditation is recognised as an international standard.

Date of release: 06 October 2006