Types of Membership

a) Student Members (non-voting members) 

  • Students of Universities, Community Colleges, Institutes of Vocational Education (IVE) and other Institutions of Higher Education
  • Student Members will be given priority to join internships offered by members of HKIPA.
  • Student Members will be given priority to apply for scholarships offered by donors of HKIPA.


b) Honorary Members (non-voting members) 

- Individual / Company (industrialists and entrepreneurs from the business sector)


c) Associate Members (non-voting members) 

- Holders of either Group A (Law) or Group B (Engineering/ Science/ Technology) qualifications; or
- Certified Patent Engineers (HKIPA) - Engineers or Scientists (as defined in Group B below) + PGA

Group A (Law) qualifications

  • Hong Kong Solicitor; or
  • Hong Kong Barrister; or 
  • Foreign Lawyer; or
  • LLB; or
  • Juris Doctor; or
  • PCLL; or
  • LLM in IP Law; or
  • LLM with substantial contents in IP Law; or
  • JSD/ PhD in IP Law; or
  • Such other qualifications comparable with the above as approved by the Executive Council of HKIPA.


Group B (Engineering/ Science/ Technology) qualifications

  • Full Member, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers; or
  • Senior Member, Institute of Industrial Engineers (Hong Kong); or
  • Full Member or Chartered Engineer, Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK; or
  • Master of Science in Engineering or Science or Technology /Master of Engineering; or
  • EngD/ PhD in Engineering or Science or Technology; or
  • Such other qualifications comparable with the above as approved by the Executive Council of HKIPA.


d) Full Members (voting members) (MHKIPA)

  • Senior Intellectual Property Solicitors; or
  • Senior Intellectual Property Barristers; or
  • Senior Foreign Patent Attorneys or Agents as recognized by the Executive Council.

 

e) Fellows 

  • Full Member with Group A qualification + Master of Science by Faculty of Science, University of Warwick, UK or such other Master degree as approved by the Executive Council of HKIPA;
  • Full Member with Group B qualification + LLM in IP Law or such other Master degree as approved by the Executive Council of HKIPA;

Plus five years post-admission experience as Full Member.

 

Full Members have to pass a Board Assessment in front of a panel of three Foreign Patent Attorneys or Executive Council Members of HKIPA.


Code of Professional Conduct
All Full Members are required to comply with the Code of Professional Conduct of HKIPA as set by the Executive Council of the HKIPA.

They are also required to complete a Continuous Professional Development (“CPD”) course on Code of Professional Conduct before or within the first 12 months of their first admission as a Full Member.

Continuous Professional Development (“CPD”)
All Full Members are required to complete a minimum of 15 CPD hours each year (from 1 November to 31 October) on Patents, Intellectual Properties, Technology, Law, Code of Professional Conduct, Risk Management Education and other related courses as approved by the Executive Council.