I was reading Simon Thorley's obituary of Sir Douglas Falconer in the latest CIPA Journal, I was struck by the note that as a young QC "one of his first acts was to form the Patent Bar Association (now the IP Bar Association) in 1971 and thereafter began to foster the spirit of friendly rivalry and co-operation which now pervades the IP bar".
It suggests that his motives may have been similar to ours in seeking out support and co-operation from his equals. Barristers are of course the very epitome of SOLO independent IP practitioners and quite a number have expressed interest in the organisation. They are extremely welcome to contribute.
Does co-operation work best, I wondered when the parties are of equal standing.
Unfortunately the CIPA Journal does not publish its content online so if you follow the link, you will get the Times obituary not Simon Thorley's.
I think that cooperation works best either (i) where all parties have the same standing or (ii) where no party duplicates the skill and expertise of the others. In the real world neither of these conditions is likely to be achieved.
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