INVITATION You are invited to apply for the EURO-SEAD PATENT DRAFTING TRAINING COURSE 2007/08
	PATENT DRAFTING COURSE The Fédération Internationale Des Conseils En Propriété Industrielle (FICPI) has developed a training course to teach the preparation of patent specifications and claims. The next course will be held at Warsaw (Poland) during 2007/08. The course will be of particular benefit to those who have recently entered the profession and those who wish to improve their drafting skills in preparation for national and European examinations.
	THE COURSE The course follows the successful format used in Singapore and Australia since 1997 and in Europe since 1999. It is divided into three (3) segments. Segment 1. A series of tutorials and workshops will be presented over five (5) days from Monday 29 October to Friday 2 November 2007. Segment 2. Students will be required to submit answers to four (4) drafting exercises over the following months by correspondence (one exercise each four weeks). These will be assessed by the tutors and written comments sent to the students. Segment 3. A second series of tutorials will be presented over five (5) days from Monday 10 March to Friday 14 March 2008. COURSE EMPHASIS The emphasis of the course is on practical work. Following each lecture session students break out into groups of six to work on an exercise. The exercise is then discussed at a plenary session before the next lecture or workshop begins. At the conclusion of the first segment students are given four drafting exercises to work on, one at a time over the following six months. The tutors comment on each paper in turn and review them as a whole during the third segment. The course is directed to teaching the art of drafting. It is not directed to passing the European qualifying examinations. Tuition will be given in drafting techniques used in the major jurisdictions being Europe, United States of America and Japan. LANGUAGE The course will be conducted in English. However, Mr Eric Le Forestier of France and Mr Axel von Hellfeld of Germany, who are tutors on the course, will be able to assist and coach students who prefer to work in French or German. VENUE Both series of tutorials and workshops will be held at: LE ROYAL MERIDIEN BRISTOL (www.lemeridien-bristol.com) Krakowskie Przdmiescie 42/44 00-325 WARSAW Poland Telephone: +48-22-55 11 000 Facsimile: +48-22-625 25 77 The cost of travel to Warsaw and accommodation must be met by students. Accommodation will be arranged at the Hotel Le Royal Meridien Bristol by FICPI at a cost of EUR 130 + 7% VAT per night inclusive of breakfast and lunch. COSTS Students are required to make one payment of EUR 2250 on acceptance to the course. The payment covers the cost of all three segments of the course, that is, the tutorials in October/November 2007 and March 2008 as well as the correspondence assignments. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Students should have a prior elementary knowledge of the process of obtaining patents and have a demonstrable need to learn the art of drafting patent specifications. Students must be based in a European country and competent to work in English. Admission to the course is at the sole discretion of the FICPI Training and Education Commission. Numbers are limited to 30 students. COURSE TUTORS   Dr. Axel von Hellfeld, Course Co-ordinator, Germany Axel von Hellfeld is Senior Partner of WUESTHOFF & WUESTHOFF, Munich. He studied physics in Göttingen, Hamburg and at Dartmouth College, USA. As a patent attorney since 1983 he has extensive experience in representing clients before the German and European Patent Offices. He has also represented clients in numerous infringement suits before various German Courts. He teaches patent law at a German University, is involved in the training of German patent attorneys, and is a frequent lecturer worldwide on various IP topics, including software protection.   Dr. Peter Kolker, United Kingdom Peter Kolker retired from his position as Intellectual Property Manager of ZENECA and now acts as an independent consultant in IP matters. He is a British Chartered Patent Agent and a European patent attorney. He holds a D Phil. in chemistry from Oxford University. He was chairman of the Patents Panel of the Chemical Industries Association, a former chairman of the ABPI IP Committee and a member of the EFPIA patents working party. He is a frequent lecturer on IP matters and the author of 'Global Patent Law' (PJB Publications, London 1998).   Eric Le Forestier, France Eric Le Forestier is a partner of CABINET REGIMBEAU, Paris. He is a graduate of Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, specialized in electronics and computer technology. He has more than 20 years of experience as a European patent attorney, active in the fields of prosecution and litigation. He is also experienced in negotiating and drafting IP agreements and is a frequent lecturer on IP of computer technology.   Leon Allen, Australia Leon Allen is a patent attorney and a partner of the firm DAVIES COLLISION CAVE in Melbourne, Australia. His technical background is physics. He has over 20 years of experience in preparation of patent applications, opposition proceedings, and infringement actions for enforcement of patents.   Joseph A Kolasch, USA Joe Kolasch is a founding partner of BIRCH, STEWART, KOLASCH & BIRCH, Washington D.C. area, one of the leading IP Law Firms in the USA. He has a technical background in chemical engineering and more than 40 years of experience in IP, specializing in chemical, mechanical and design patents, and trademarks. He is past president of the Patent Lawyers Club of Washington, D.C.   Dr. Shoichi Okuyama, Japan Shoichi Okuyama is partner at OKUYAMA & CO., Tokyo. He obtained a bachelor of engineering in 1980 from Waseda University, Tokyo, with emphasis in electronics. He then studied chemistry at Iowa State University and obtained a bachelor degree. He also obtained a Ph. D. in theoretical physical chemistry at the James Frank Institute of the University of Chicago. He has now more that 15 years of experience as a Japanese patent attorney. He is currently a Board member of AIPPI Japan and LES Japan, and also a member of APAA. He is a working group leader of the case law study group of AIPPI, Japan. Also, Dr. Okuyama is president of the Tokyo Wine Society.   COURSE CONCEPT 3 SEGMENTS SEGMENT 1: FIRST SERIES OF TUTORIAL SESSIONS Introduction - explanation of EURO-SEAD Course - patent law and practice review Specification Structure - the description - drawings - claims - abstract Pre-Drafting Preparation - interviewing inventors - identifying the invention Approaches to Claim Drafting - functional analysis Drafting claims without reference to prior art Drafting claims with reference to prior art Drafting a description to support claims Preparing an Abstract The above topics will be covered via lectures, case studies and in workshops over the five (5) days. The emphasis will be on gaining practical experience via workshop activities. Other topics insofar as they impinge on drafting, will also be covered. These are as follows: patent validity and infringement patenting worldwide SEGMENT 2: CORRESPONDENCE ASSIGNMENTS Four Drafting Exercises SEGMENT 3: SECOND SERIES OF TUTORIAL SESSIONS Review of correspondence assignments Exercises - drafting of full patent specifications Consequences of drafting - review of example court decisions Amendments The emphasis will again be on gaining practical experience via workshop activities.
	[EUROSEAD 2007 Application Form - PDF format] [TEC Commission members]
	Last updated: 5 July 2007