Carpmaels & Ransford hosts event with Lord Chris Smith

February is LGBT+ History Month in the UK, a time to reflect on the issues affecting LGBT+ people and the history of the LGBT+ rights movement. This year, Carpmaels & Ransford hosted an event with Lord Chris Smith.

Chris spoke to the firm about his own experiences as the first openly gay male MP, after coming out in 1984, and spending over 20 years in Parliament. Chris is also Chair of the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg).

Partner Isobel Barry comments: “We really enjoyed hearing Chris’s unique perspective on the progress of LGBT+ rights over the past 40 years. Chris shared some great practical insights into what we can all do to ensure this progress continues and that we support all of our colleagues to be themselves and feel welcome and included in the workplace. One of our core values as a firm is individuality: each of us appreciates the outstanding talents and unique character of every one of us. The insights from Chris’s talk reinforce how important it is that we continue to live this within our firm.”

One of our core values as a firm is individuality: each of us appreciates the outstanding talents and unique character of every one of us.

Carpmaels & Ransford is an active member of IP Inclusive, a network which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry. We provide both financial and logistical support to its initiatives and were among the first signatories to its charter in 2015.

We are also a member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme, the leading employers’ programme for ensuring inclusivity for LGBTQ+ employees.


22nd Feb 2022

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