STATEMENT OF IPSKI POLICY

January 29,2004

Since its inception ten years ago as a collegial group of IP professionals with a keen interest in skiing, IPSKI has had a highly successful series of annual meetings in extremely interesting and diverse venues. This success is due largely to the remarkable diversity in its membership and the enthusiasm and energy devoted by those members who have served as Resort Officers. IPSKI also has experienced an expansion in membership to the point that, prior to the 2004 AGM, it had a full complement of 42 members and a waiting list of 13. The demographics of the membership reveals a desirable distribution among a large number of countries and a fairly broad spectrum of ages, from a youngest in the 30 year age group to an eldest in the 70 year age group.
Roughly speaking, IPSKI's membership at this time is distributed in age with a minority in the 30 and 70 age groups, and the majority in the 40, 50 and 60 age groups. Presently, all but two members are actively participating in the practice of intellectual property law, one being retired and the second being in a different professional field but a member under special circumstances.
To date, all who have wished to attend an annual meeting have been able to do so, largely due to the limitation on the number of members. Indeed, members have been able to bring family members, in addition to an accompanying person, because there has been sufficient room. Nonetheless, as a practical matter, the successful organization of an annual meeting by a volunteer Resort Officer can be accomplished only if the number of participants is limited to 50-60 persons.

Voices within the IPSKI Membership have indicated a concern with respect to the future vitality of the organization and the need for an infusion of new and younger members. A further concern is with respect to the extremely long waiting period to become members for those presently on the waiting list, largely due to the relatively low number of members who have withdrawn, been removed (non-payment of dues or failure to attend one meeting in three years) or retired from the organization.

However, there also is a concern that the steps taken to provide for a more vibrant and enthusiastic organization should not unfairly discriminate against any member or group of members, or otherwise significantly limit the present opportunity for members to attend an annual meeting. In recent years, attendance at a meeting has been on a first come first served basis. Nonetheless, historically, there always has been enough room for those who wish to attend, and more often than not business and other personal matters cause some to cancel as the date of the meeting approaches. Thus, the ability of any member to attend at least one meeting every three years in order to maintain his or her membership under current rules has not been limited as a practical matter. Indeed, members have been able to attend for only a few days, rather than the entire planned week, and to bring their children as guests.
In order to accommodate the interests and concerns of the membership, while endeavoring to bring new vitality to the or-ganization, the following principles were adopted at the AGM on January 29, 2004 in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

(1) Age and Practice Limit - there will be no age limit on mem-bership. However, in order to maintain membership, the member must remain in active practice of IP law. Once a member has retired in a given year, he or she will be able to attend the next AGM but, thereafter, will be given senior status. Those having senior status will receive information about the organization and access to the website, and will be able to attend the AGM only on a space available basis. An annual fee, to be determined by vote at the AGM, will be charged to maintain senior status.

(2) Attendance at the AGM -attendance will be governed by the following principles:

i. First Come First Served - attendance will continue to be on a first-come first-served basis. A "notice of meeting" will be sent to the membership at least two (2) weeks prior to the signup date advising that the window for signing up for the meeting will be open on a specified day mid hour. Once the window is opened by email communication from the Resort Officer or the Secretary General, a signup list will be prepared with priority based on date and time that a completed application is returned by email or fax (no telephone). The application must then be validated within a period specified in the announcement (e.g., ten days) by wire transfer of a deposit amount and/or credit card information as determined by the Resort Officer in consultation with the ExCo. Failure to submit the wire transfer within the specified time will automatically lead to the cancellation of this particular application.

ii. Priority to Member and One Accompanying Person - the initial sign up sheet can name one accompanying person. Additional ac-companying persons, such as children, can be named, but can attend only on a space-available basis.

iii. Priority to Full Week Attendees - members who sign up for at least 5 nights will be given preference over those who sign up for fewer than 5 nights. Members wishing to attend for fewer than 5 nights will be accommodated on a space-available basis, but will be given priority over additional accompanying persons and those with senior status.
Number of Attendees - the Resort Officer will have the ability to determine the maximum number of attendees at any given AGM and will announce that number in the notice of meeting. The Resort Officer may increase that number at his or her sale discretion, as the date of the event approaches, due to changing circumstances.
Cancellation - should an accepted member be forced to cancel his/her application, the deposit may be lost.

(3) Waiting List -the following principles are proposed for the current and future waiting lists:

1. Current Waiting List - all of the thirteen individuals that were on the waiting list as of the AGM in 2003, who have a continuing interest in membership, will be offered membership. The ExCo closed the waiting list following the AGM in 2003, pending approval of these principles.

ii. New Waiting List -a new waiting list will be started following the 2004 AGM. Anyone nominated for the new waiting list must have the written recommendation of two members. The AGM shall vote on placing the nominee on the waiting list. It is strongly recommended that geographical diversity and the long-term vitality of the organization be considered by members in making any new nominations for membership and in voting to place nominees on the waiting list.

(4) Election to Membership - The following principles shall govern the election of candidates to membership:

i. There will be a vote at each AGM as to how many candidates from the waiting list, subject to the then current limit on the maximum number of members, will be accepted as regular members.

ii. The total number of members shall not exceed a maximum as established by a formal vote of all members. The maximum number of members has been raised from 40 to 60. In principle, however, the organization shall make future modifications to such maximum with due regard to relevant administrative, financial,· professional and social considerations.

iii. Election of candidates on the waiting list to membership shall be based on a vote as provided in Section (6)(i).

(5) Member Attendance and Payment of Dues - The following principles are proposed for maintaining membership.

i. There is no requirement for regular members to attend the yearly AGM's.

ii. Members are obligated to pay the amount due for annual dues, as set by the members, prior to or at the AGM for that year. Such payment shall be a net amount equal to the annual dues. One ground for expulsion of a member is non-payment of dues (1) during a period of one year, and (2) after two (2) written and/or email reminders have been sent from the ExCo.

111. Expulsion shall be by a majority vote at the AGM"

(6) Voting - The following principles are proposed for voting:

i. Decisions on matters of policy and election to membership shall be based upon an email query of all members with a decision made on the basis of (1) a quorum, comprising a majority of all members entitled to vote, and (2) a majority vote of the members participating in the vote.

ii. Decisions with regard to the venue for a future next AGM, except in unusual circumstances, shall be made on the basis of a majority vote of the members, in person or represented by proxy, at the then current AGM. In such unusual circumstances, the ExCo shall decide on the issue and inform the membership.

iii. Members may give a written proxy to another member to vote with respect to any issue that has been expressly placed before the membership for a vote.

iv. Rights to vote shall terminate with the resignation or expulsion of a member, or attainment of senior status.

(7) Expulsion - In unusual circumstances, the ExCo shall be empowered to expel a member for gross misbehavior, subject to the subsequent approval of the AGM.

(8) Matters Not Expressly Addressed - those matters not specifi-cally addressed by the foregoing principles shall be decided by the ExCo, consistent, with the overall spirit of this Policy.