Trademark and IP Practice Skills Course - RSA

SAIIPL and the Law Society of South Africa are presenting an introductory course on Trademark and IP Practice aimed at 15 practising attorneys from "previously disadvantaged backgrounds". The course is fully funded by Safety & Security Sector Education Training Authority as a pilot project for people interested in pursuing a career in this field.

The program seeks to:

- help candidates to understand and explain fundamental concepts of trade mark law;
- identify and advise clients on IP related matters with specific reference to trademarks;
- help candidates pursue a career in the field of trademark practice; and
- provide excellent preparation for ultimate qualification as a trademark practitioner.

Training is scheduled to run from the 2-4 October followed by at least 20 hours of "mentoring by IP specialists on real case scenarios through hypothetical scenarios" whereby a confidentiality agreement would be signed by the candidate. IP Leo assumes this step is to protect the company rather than the information imparted by the specialist but wonders if it wouldn't be easier if the case study was simply, hypothetical or based on that company's publically available information (which all their trade marks would be). Nonetheless, a course like this is dearly needed in RSA where there is a dearth of IP skills.

Applications must reach Ashley Mashaba (+27 21 441 4600) on or before 15 August 2008.