Deeds not words

I hope you will excuse this slightly unusual 'M&C Reacts' post. Whilst this is a forum usually reserved for my colleagues and I to share our IP related insights, I am also grateful for an opportunity to talk about another subject close to my heart.  

I am always excited by August, as its festival time here in Edinburgh. I especially love the Edinburgh Fringe (@edfringe), which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. I really enjoy the diversity in its shows and people who perform them. 

I am a proud father of two daughters and yesterday I attended, with my youngest daughter, the musical show "Fantastically great women who changed the world". The show is based on a picture book by Kate Pankhurst, a distant relative of Emmeline (Emily) Pankhurst, who I am sure needs no introduction. The show, as the title suggests, celebrates a number of great women pioneers, but does so by looking to empower a young girl who is unsure how she will make her mark in the world. I can thoroughly recommend the show and its message, for adults and children alike and I hope that the message it conveys will encourage my daughters to aspire to be anything they want to be.

I am not afraid to say that I view myself as a feminist and whilst we may have come a long way since Emily Pankhurst's day, there is still a great deal of inequality in this world. I am pleased that my firm does some great work in promoting diversity and inclusion. It is recognised that the patent profession is historically male orientated, but we, as a firm, are working to redress this balance. Whilst not the case for all our offices (yet!), our Edinburgh office actually has more women professionals, than men!