Category: Events

What Is A Provisional Patent Application? (And What It Means in the UK) If you’re an inventor, founder or early-stage startup, you may have heard the phrase “provisional patent application”. We’re often asked: “Can you file a provisional patent application for us?”. “Can we file something quickly and then ‘finish it off’ later?”. This is understandable, but the terminology can be unhelpful, especially in the UK. In this post, we’ll explain: What “provisional patent application” formally means in the US. Why the UK patent system doesn’t use the term in the same way. How priority dates work and why your […]

AI in IP: How Clients View AI in Patent Work – Attitudes, Expectations, and Insights from Russell IP Explore how clients view AI in patent work, with insights from Russell IP Founder and Director Iain Russell. Context Welcome to AI in IP, a series of blog posts sharing Iain Russell’s insights into the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in intellectual property (IP). As Chair of the AI Committee of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA), Iain is a leading voice on how AI can be used in IP. The aim of this series is to highlight how AI can be used […]

Russell IP eBook on UK IPO Excluded Matter Decisions 2025 eBook Now Available for Download! We are pleased to announce the release of Russell IP’s eBook compilation of all the UK Intellectual Property Office’s Decisions on Excluded Matter from 2025. The eBook accompanies the table of Excluded Matter Decisions Russell IP maintains at www.softwarepatents.co.uk and is available for download using the form below. Enter your name, company and email address to receive the eBook and sign up for the Russell IP Newsletter. Background to the UK IPO Excluded Matter eBook The eBook is an unofficial, free-to-download compilation by Russell IP […]

EPO Fee Changes 2026 – What You Need To Know The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced that its official fees (fees paid to the EPO by applicants) will increase from 1 April 2026. These changes will affect a wide range of fees under the European Patent Convention (EPC), including search, examination, grant and renewal fees. Overview Of The EPO Fee Changes 2026 Our calculations suggest that many core EPO fees (including renewal, search, designation, examination and grant fees) will increase by around 5%. Some fees are unchanged (for example, filing fees, additional fees for divisional applications, the opposition fee, […]

Accelerating UK Patent Prosecution at the UK IPO: A Practical Guide Introduction Securing a UK patent is usually a long game. On a normal timetable, a UK patent application remains pending for several years before it is granted or finally refused. In many situations, that slow and steady pace is absolutely fine; it gives time to refine the technology, explore markets and spread costs. In other situations, there’s a need for the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) to move faster. Perhaps a competitor is gearing up to launch a similar product, an investor is asking to see patent grants […]

New Guidance On Generative AI In Patent Work: Essential Reading For Inventors And SMEs The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) have issued new guidance on using generative AI for patent work. In this article, we answer some key questions about the new guidance, and who and what it is for. Why The New CIPA Guidance On Generative AI Matters Generative AI tools are now everywhere. Many inventors and small, innovative businesses are already using them to:  Brainstorm product ideas; Tidy up technical descriptions; Help draft patent-related documents; or Summarise prior art and […]

Russell IP Presents Sound IP: Our Songs Of 2025 Before we wrap up for Christmas, we’re excited to share something a little different from the Russell IP team: Sound IP, our first-ever end-of-year playlist. Sound IP brings together the tracks we love, the songs that inspire us, and the music that keeps us going through a year of supporting innovation. It’s a small way to get to know the people behind the patents – one song at a time. You can dive into the playlist here. Read on to find out what inspired our picks. Iain Russell’s Song Of 2025 […]

UK IPO Fee Changes 2026 – What You Need To Know The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) has announced that its official fees (fees paid to the UK IPO by applicants) will increase from 1 April 2026. This is the first major adjustment to the UK IPO’s fees for several years and will affect fees for patents, trade marks, registered designs and unregistered designs. Overview Of The UK IPO Fee Changes 2026 According to the UK IPO, the average fee increase will be 25%, though the specific increase depends on the intellectual property (IP) right involved and the particular fee. Our calculations […]

Showcasing More Surrey IP Russell IP is based in Surrey, part of South East England. Although Russell IP works with companies all over the world, we have numerous local clients whose innovations we help protect. The area is home to many businesses, designers, entrepreneurs and others who develop technologies in lots of different technical fields. This blog post looks at some Surrey- and Hampshire-based companies and their patent portfolios. The picture above was taken by Russell IP Founder and Director Iain Russell in the village of Albury. Xcience Xcience is a clean-tech engineering consultancy, with a particular focus on energy-storage […]

Russell IP at CIPA Congress 2025: AI and IP The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) hosted its annual Congress on 9 October 2025. This year’s meeting took place in Bristol, and the theme was “IP & AI”. The event included sessions on a wide range of AI-related topics with an intellectual property (IP) focus, including: The disruptive impact of AI; AI and the function of the Intellectual Property Office; and Drafting international patent applications for inventions with AI features. CIPA Congress 2025 was fully booked, with delegates attending from many different backgrounds and areas of IP practice. Among the […]