Abel & Imray

Who are Abel & Imray?

Abel & Imray are proud to be a CORE member of WISE and we are ambassadors of women in STEM in our firm. Diversity and inclusivity are embraced in our organisation, rather than just words on a website and we value the contribution of all our colleagues regardless of their gender.

At Abel & Imray, we blend legal experience with commercial awareness to advise on all aspects of patent and trade mark law around the world. While our reputation speaks for itself, we measure success in the positive, long-term relationships we’ve built with hundreds of clients – from established multinationals to growing start-ups.

What projects / schemes / initiatives to support women’s recruitment, retention and progression in STEM are Abel & Imray involved in?

We have a dedicated Diversity & Inclusivity group, continually looking at ways to improve the inclusive nature of the working environment. This is led by Emily Teesdale who is a committee member of the “Women in IP” support group of IP Inclusive.

Our progress to date includes:

• Flexible and part-time working, up to and including the partnership level
• Unconscious bias training
• Recruitment processes designed to remove bias
• Maternity leave (as well as shared parental leave and adoption leave) package one of the most generous in our industry
• Annual anonymous staff surveys to help pick up any issues
• Annual celebration of International Women’s Day in March (e.g. in 2019, we helped Savera register their trade mark for free )
• Abel & Imray were an early Signatory to the IP Inclusive scheme and sponsor of Careers in Ideas which works to support anyone considering a career in the world of intellectual property
• Open and transparent processes for appraisals, salary reviews, job role requirements and partnership promotions

Why did Abel & Imray join WISE?

“At Abel & Imray we are continuingly looking for ways to build inclusion and celebrate diversity in our firm. Joining WISE was a positive move to supporting this mission.”

– Emily Teesdale, Patent Attorney, Partner and Aero Geek