Since its launch in September 2022, ADAPT, which is organized around making DEI programs accessible to companies of all sizes, has been active in pursuing its mission to advance diversity across patent teams.
The organization has increased membership, bringing in 18 corporate members and 12 law firm members to expand its initiatives. Specifically, ADAPT has recently welcomed BASF, CableLabs, Cisco, Equifax Inc., Marconi Group, Moley Robotics, Nicholson De Vos Webster and Elliot, Nuro, Ocada, Uber, Unified Patents, Akona IP, Allen & Overy, Baker McKenzie, Burris Law, PLLC, Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, Fish and Richardson, Harrity & Harrity, Haynes Boone, Perkins Coie, Kilburn & Strode, and LKGLOBAL | Lorenz & Kopf, LLP.
ADAPT has highlighted programs from Dority & Manning and Finnegan as well as featured programs from Street Law Inc., and National Counsel on Patent Practicum in its Programs & Templates.
In November 2022, ADAPT launched a mentorship program. The program has several applicants, and the inaugural class of mentees will be announced in early March. The program is a yearlong opportunity that will allow mentees to meet with lawyers at each of the founding member companies and engage with partner law firms to learn about different careers in IP. The program will provide mentees with exposure to all areas of intellectual property law, including litigation, prosecution, transactions, and brand protection and will cultivate the next generation of diverse legal talent.
As part of its larger mission, ADAPT aims to use data to provide an empirical analysis of the state of the patent profession. In order to achieve this goal, ADAPT has been designing an industry-wide, voluntary survey to gather data from patent professionals. ADAPT is currently exploring partnership with other organizations to expand the reach of this survey.
Additionally, ADAPT has developed new working groups to continue the momentum around law firm harmonization issues between various state bar rules and the USPTO’s rules. Opportunities to participate in these groups will be highlighted at quarterly member meetings.
Stay tuned for new practitioner-facing modules – bringing transparency to patent-related professional career paths – coming to ADAPT in May.
To learn more about ADAPT, visit www.adapt.legal