Place : London, UK and Bristol, UK
Dates : 14-25 June 2010

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 seminars on other aspects of intellectual property. Our delegates consistently comment that the practical exercises are particularly valuable.

If you would like an application form to attend the course please click here or 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.

• 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 seminars on designs, trade marks and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for pharmaceuticals.

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 course materials are in English. The lecture notes are provided in electronic form only, so delegates are expected to bring a laptop for use during lectures.

Cost
The course fee is £2500 per person (including tax).  This includes all lectures and optional seminars; course materials; the entertainments and UK travel listed on the schedule.  It does not include accomodation and living expenses in the UK, nor travel to Munich and accomodation there for the optional EPO trip.  We will gladly help you arrange accomodation, however.

Booking
If you wish to attend the course please complete the application form and either e-mail it to jacqueline.murphy@mewburn.com or fax to +44 20 7776 5399.  Please complete one form per person (maximum two per organisation).  You may also complete a form for a reserve, in case we have spare places.  If you do so, please mark clearly which person is the reserve.

An example of our 2010 Schedule is shown below


Week 1:

	MORNING 10.00-12.30	LUNCH(workshops 1.00 - 2.00)	AFTERNOON 2.30 - 4.30 or 5.00	EVENING
Mon 14	European overview; Introduction to EPC	WELCOME LUNCH	FREE AFTERNOON (BUS TOUR)	WELCOME DINNER
Tues 15	Priority;Novelty	Trade marks seminar 1 (optional)	Inventive Step
Wed 16	Patentability subject matter; Exclusions from patentability*		TRAVEL TO BRISTOL	BRISTOL OFFICE RECEPTION
Thurs 17	Procedure, Formalities	SPC's seminar(optional)	Corrections, Amendments;Appeals and other remedies	INDIVIDUAL/SMALL GROUP DINING ***
Fri 18	Examination and grant	Trade marks seminar 2 (optional)	Claim interpretation Assignment & Licencing	COURSE PARTY
Sat 19	SIGHTSEEING IN BRISTOL
Sun 20	RETURN TO LONDON

 Week 2:

	MORNING 10.00-12.00	LUNCH (workshops 1.00-2.00)	AFTERNOON 2.30 - 4.30 or 5.00	EVENING
Mon 21	Practical tips for drafting applications	Trade marks Seminar 3 (optional)	Claim drafting excercise **	INDIVIDUAL/SMALL GROUP DINING***
Tues 22	Office action case study: Part I**	Designs seminar (optional)	Office action case study: Part II**	OPTIONAL THEATRE TRIP
Wed 23	FREE DAY
Thurs 24	Enforcement of patents in the UK and around Europe		Oppositions: law, procedure and practice	INDIVIDUAL/SMALL GROUP DINING***
Fri 25	Opposition case study Part I		Opposition case study Part II	FINAL DINNER
Sat 26	OPTIONAL SIGHTSEEING VISIT
Sun 27	TRAVEL TO MÜNCHEN (OPTIONAL)
Mon 28	VISIT TO EPO (OPTIONAL)

 * 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.