About NZIPA

The New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys (Incorporated), ("NZIPA" or "The Institute"), established in 1912, is an incorporated body representing most Patent Attorneys registered under the New Zealand Patents Act, and who are resident and practising in New Zealand.

NZIPA is governed by a set of Rules, and a Code of Professional Conduct to ensure its members maintain a consistent high standard of professionalism at all times.

The Rules set the objects of NZIPA, which are as follows:

To maintain a representative group of registered New Zealand patent attorneys.
To promote the interests of Fellows of the Institute.
To assist in developing, promoting and maintaining the integrity of the laws and regulations relating to intellectual property matters.
To preserve and maintain the integrity and status of the patent attorney profession by inter alia setting and administering Rules and a Code of Professional Conduct.
To provide means for the settlement of professional differences between Members of the Institute, and between members of the public and Members of the Institute.
To arrange and promote opportunities for the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge relating to the patent attorney profession.
To do such things as are in the opinion of Council conducive to the attainment of any of the foregoing objects or in the best interests of the patent attorney profession.

NZIPA has 5 membership categories to which members belong.

Fellowship - members who are registered as a patent attorney, and entitled to practise in New Zealand, as well as being of good repute and resident (residing in NZ currently and for at least the last 6 months).
Honorary Membership - this is for distinguished individuals, who from their contribution to advancing the objects of the Institute deserve this high honour.
Student Membership - members who are not qualified as a patent attorney, but who are engaged as a trainee patent attorney in the employment of a registered patent attorney.
Non-resident Membership - members who are IP practitioners outside New Zealand, and ex-Fellows who are no longer resident in New Zealand
Associate Membership - members who are not patent attorneys but who are either qualified to advance the objects of the Institute through their connection with law, science or the arts, or engaged as a trainee patent attorney for at least three years, and acquired good repute within.

The current membership of NZIPA comprises (April 2006) comprises 148 Fellows, 3 Honorary, 51 Students, 33 Non-resident and 8 Associates. 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.

A Council of 8 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.

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

Many of our fellows are also registered as patent attorneys in Australia under mutual recognition.

There are a large number of other patent attorneys registered on the New Zealand Register of Patent Attorneys, but these are all Australian registered patent attorneys who have registered in New Zealand pursuant to mutual recognition, and are not practising in New Zealand. For a complete list of registered patent attorneys in New Zealand, please refer to the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (09 Patent Attorney Information).

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