Level(s) of Study: Practitioner / Professional
Start Date(s): October 2023
Duration: 6 months
Study Mode(s): Part-time
Campus: City Campus
The course is accredited by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg). Successful completion of this course will entitle candidates to apply for registration as a Trade Mark Attorney with IPReg.
The advanced course is ONLY open to Solicitors and Barristers who have significant practice experience in trade marks and have completed and/or been exempted from the required modules within the IPReg Foundation Level Qualification.
This Certificate, designed by Nottingham Law School in conjunction with CITMA, is focused on the development of the knowledge base and professional skills required of a registered Trade Mark Attorney in what is now a fragmented and volatile legal services market. Built upon teaching and assessment methods used to train solicitors and barristers, the advanced course will focus on the outcomes required of the practitioner in the Legal Services Act world.
The course:
- is designed specifically for CITMA trainees and is approved by CITMA / IPREG
- is skills-based and is built upon similar course delivery techniques as the Legal Practice Course for solicitors and the Bar Training Course for barristers
- is designed to use a variety of teaching techniques such as interactive lectures, role play and case study exercises and facilitated discussion groups
- is practical, based on an experiential method of delivery
- uses an eLearning platform called NOW
- utilises the skills of practising Trade Mark Attorneys in addition to members of Nottingham Law School faculty. A number of practising Trade Mark Attorneys have undertaken a Nottingham Law School Train the Trainers course to enable them to develop their skills as tutors.
- uses a method of rotating assessments which means that some assessments are taken throughout the course.
- is graded like the Nottingham Law School LPC, into Distinction, Commendation and Pass
- is delivered in a way that suits busy schedules and minimises the time spent away from the office
- recognises that you will be in private practice or working in-house during the course and seeks to enable you to apply your knowledge and skills to your own practice as soon as possible.
- is taught by a mixture of assignments and attendance.
Why choose this course?
- Upon successful the completion of this advanced intensive course you will be eligible to apply for entry on the Register of Trade Mark Attorneys.
- Course content has a significant focus on the acquisition of professional skills.
- The course is delivered alongside the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice course.
What you’ll study
Modules one and two covers contentious and non contentious trade mark practice.
You will be introduced to the various tasks that you may undertake, from managing a portfolio of trade marks to dealing with trade mark infringement or an action for passing off.
There is significant focus on the acquisition of professional skills, via the use of case studies, in the context of ethics and professional conduct, client interviewing, written and “one to one” client advice and client relationship management.
You will prosecute the various applications made in module one through to registration, including dealing with absolute ground objections and oppositions or invalidations/revocations.
You will also have the opportunity to negotiate with an opponent to the alleged infringement action with a view to putting an agreement in place, a licence or an assignment. Issues such as the mortgaging of trade marks as well as the taxation and potential competition issues (re coexistence agreements) may also be included within the negotiation exercise.
There will be an emphasis on the development of drafting skills (pleadings and skeleton arguments as well as letter writing and advice) as well as case management and client management techniques and advocacy and appearance before the Registry.
In addition, there will be the opportunity for you to also deal with an unsuccessful application to register and an Opposition. You will deal with the refusal, preparing an advice to client and drafting and filing responses, including any issues of client expectation management and the commerciality and strategic nature of advice and options offered to the client.
Click below to find out more about how you’re taught, entry requirements and enrolment dates.