Place : London, UK and Bristol, UK
Dates : TBC

Our two-week course provides an in-depth study of the legal and practical aspects of working with the EPC and EPO, with optional additional workshops on other aspects of intellectual property. Our delegates consistently comment that the practical exercises are particularly valuable and we have expanded this aspect of the course still further. 

Dates for our 2009 course will be published in early January 2009 together with confirmation of the costs.

If you would like an application form to attend the course please e-mail : jacqueline.murphy@mewburn.com

If you have any other questions, please contact the course director, Chris Denison, at chris.denison@mewburn.com.

Outline of the course
The course is aimed at practitioners from Japan and other Asian countries, from either private practice or industrial IP departments.

Features
• Review of the law, case law and procedure for all the basic  topics: patentable inventions; novelty; priority; inventive step; amendments; filing applications; formalities; examination; grant; hearings; oppositions and appeals; enforcement.

• Explanation of major law changes that are due to come into effect in December 2007, with the EPC2000.

• Emphasis on practical advice, exercises and examples.

• Claim drafting exercise.

• Office action and opposition case studies.

• Workshops for different subject areas: mechanical/electrical; computers/business methods; chemistry; biotechnology.

• Optional lunchtime workshops on designs, trademarks and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) for pharmaceuticals.

• Review of recent developments in the EPC and the prospects for major changes in the future.

EPO visit
After the course, there is an optional visit to the EPO in Munich. This will include the opportunity to observe an oral hearing (subject to availability), and a discussion with an EPO examiner.  We do not make any additional charge for the trip.

Level of the course
This course assumes that the participants already have a basic knowledge of patent law and practice.

Language
All lectures and written materials are in English.

Cost
The course fee TBC. 

An example of our 2008 Schedule is shown below


Week 1:

 Week 2:

 * This session is intended to focus on delegates' fields of interest. The options are (A)computer-related inventions and business methods ;and (B) pharmaceuticals and biotechnology;

 ** The office action case study and claim drafting exercise are intended to focus on delegates' field of interest. The options are (A) mechanical/electrical; (B) chemical; and (C) biotechnological.

*** We will invite delegates for dinner individually or in a small group on one of these days.