About NZIPA

New Zealand Intellectual Property Attorneys Inc was established in 1912 as The New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys Inc. In 2021 we changed our name to better reflect the composition of our membership. We are an incorporated body representing most trans-Tasman registered Patent Attorneys who are resident and practising in New Zealand. Our membership also includes Australian registered Trade Mark Attorneys and IP lawyers resident and practising in New Zealand.

The current membership of NZIPA comprises comprises 176 Fellows, 3 Honorary, 12 Students, 12 Non-resident, 30 Associates and 2 Retired.

The organisation is governed by a Constitution.

A Council of 9 Fellow members is elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. They meet at least monthly throughout the year to manage the affairs of the Institute.

The purposes of the organisation are to:

Maintain a representative group of registered patent attorneys as defined in section 269 of the Patents Act 2013, registered Australian Trade Marks Attorneys (AU) and Trade Marks Attorney (NZ).
Promote the interests of Fellows of the NZIPA.
Assist in developing, promoting and maintaining the integrity of the laws and regulations relating to intellectual property matters.
Preserve and maintain the integrity and status of the patent and trade marks attorney profession by inter alia setting and administering rules.
Provide means for the settlement of professional differences between Members of the NZIPA, and between Members of the public and Members of the NZIPA.
Arrange and promote opportunities for the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge relating to the intellectual property profession.
Generally, do such things as are in the opinion of Council conductive to the attainment of any of these purposes or in the best interests of the intellectual property profession.

NZIPA has 5 membership categories of membership.

Fellows - registered as a patent attorney under the Patents Act 2013, registered as Trade marks Attorney (AU), or is approved to use Trade Marks Attorney (NZ) and are entitled to practise as a patent attorney or a trade marks attorney in New Zealand or Australia, and are of good repute, and are resident in New Zealand.
Honorary Members - are distinguished individuals who, from their past contribution to advancing the purposes of the NZIPA are deserving of the highest honour of the NZIPA.
Student Members - are of good repute; not qualified to practise the profession of a patent attorney; studying for qualifications as a patent attorney or as a Trade Marks Attorney (AU); and resident in New Zealand.
Non-Resident Members - Intellectual Property practitioners established in practise in territories outside New Zealand, including persons who have previously been admitted as Fellows.
Associate Members - members who are not patent attorneys but are of good repute, and come within one of the following definitions:
1. are qualified to advance the objects of the organisation through their connection with law, science or the arts, or
2. have been involved in intellectual property work in the business of a registered patent attorney for at least two years
3. employees of law firms or companies that undertake Intellectual Property related work where they do not fall within the definitions of either previous sub clauses (a) or (b) above.

The current membership of NZIPA comprises comprises 176 Fellows, 3 Honorary, 12 Students, 12 Non-resident, 30 Associates and 2 Retired. The membership comprises virtually the whole of the senior professional staff of all of the firms of registered patent attorneys practising in New Zealand comprising more than one partner, plus most of the registered patent attorneys who practice as sole practitioners. In addition a number of our Fellows are partners or senior staff solicitors in the intellectual property law sections of some major law firms in New Zealand.

If you wish to join NZIPA, please download our application forms.

Our members are very familiar with intellectual property laws in New Zealand, and also in overseas countries.

Our Fellows are also registered as patent attorneys in Australia following the 2017 implementation of the Trans-Tasman patent attorney regime that provides for a single system of accreditation, registration and professional regulation of patent attorneys in both countries. For a complete list of registered Trans-Tasman patent attorneys resident in New Zealand, please to refer to the TTIPAB website here.

Since registration as a patent attorney does not require membership of the NZIPA we are sometimes asked why an individual should become a member. Refer to our membership benefits.