UK Intellectual Property Office

Prospect is the union for patent examiners employed by the IPO. Over 80% of examiners belong to the union. There is an active local committee which is a respected part of the joint management and union structures. The IPO encourages all new recruits to join their union.

At the IPO we work closely with the PCS union, which represents all other employees, to promote members' interests.

In the wider public sector Prospect family we represent specialists in the IPO’s parent department (BIS) and across the civil service.  We also maintain professional links with patent officers in the Ministry of Defence and elsewhere and support networks of members with shared interests.