The Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia Academy

The Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (IPTA) has established an Academy of Education, designed to ensure that graduating attorneys can deliver you the highest levels of professional service.

The Academy:

• Trains student patent attorneys
• Helps students obtain qualifications necessary to practice as patent attorneys and trade marks attorneys

The Academy - accredited by the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys - conducts group courses on:

• Patent Systems
• Drafting patent specifications
• Interpretation and validity of patent specifications

Subject passes provide exemptions from equivalent Board subjects.

For information on IPTA Academy Exam Results

Please direct inquiries regarding IPTA’s Academy or its courses to the Institute’s Executive Secretary.

About the Academy

These courses are accredited by the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys.

Group F - Patent Systems

Students are taught and examined on the ability to advise and to handle the interests of a client in prosecuting and maintaining a patent application in Australia and other countries, including advising on the desirability of seeking patent protection and provision of alternative protection.

A series of lectures is presented over one semester of 13 weeks beginning in March. Weekly lectures are of 90 minutes duration and followed by take home exercises and assignments.

Following the course, an examination is undertaken and marked by the lecturers. The Academy provides a certificate when the examination has been passed at the standard required.

The course is held both in Melbourne and Sydney, connected by video conferencing and other capitals by telephone.

Group G - Drafting patent specifications

Students are taught and examined on the ability to obtain relevant information about an invention and from that, given the prior art, draft a specification to accompany a provisional application, a standard complete application, an international application and/or a petty patent application.

A series of tutorials are presented over four days usually in March. Students are then required to submit answers to a number of drafting exercises over the following months by correspondence. These are assessed by tutors and written comments are given to the students. A second series of tutorials are presented later in the year usually in August, over four days. Workshops are conducted in various technologies to assist students having differing technical backgrounds. Usually one series of tutorials is held in Sydney and the other in Melbourne.

Following the course, an examination is set and marked by the tutors at the standard previously applied by the Patent Attorneys Professional Standards Board examinations. Papers are set in simple mechanical technology and chemistry. The Academy provides a certificate if the examination has been passed at the standard required.

The panel of tutors comprises members who previously served as examiners for the former Patent Attorneys Professional Standards Board, or for the College of Examiners of the new Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys, supplemented by additional experienced patent attorneys.

This course is accredited by the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys.

Group H - Interpretation and validity of patent specifications

This course deals with the ability to express an understanding of a patent specification and what it covers for the purpose of advising on infringement, validity over given prior art, section 40 of the Act, and other grounds of revocation and amendment.

A series of tutorials are presented over four days generally in March. Students are required to submit answers to a number of drafting exercises over the following months by correspondence. These are assessed by tutors and written comments are given to the students. A second series of tutorials are presented later in the year, usually in August. Usually one series of tutorials is held in Sydney and the other in Melbourne.

Following the course, an examination is set and marked by the tutors at the standard previously applied by the Patent Attorneys Professional Standards Board examinations. The Academy provides a certificate if the examination has been passed at the standard required.

The panel of tutors comprises members who previously served as examiners for the former Patent Attorneys Professional Standards Board, or for the College of Examiners of the new Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys, supplemented by additional experienced patent attorneys.

Failed Candidates (Groups G and H)

Candidates who fail may be re-admitted to the course the following year. They are required to undertake the correspondence part of the course and the opening day of the second series of tutorials when those exercises are dealt with.

Diploma of Intellectual Property Practice

The Academy also grants a Diploma in Intellectual Property Practice. In order to qualify, a student must have passed subject topics F, G and H at either Board level or with the Academy (at least one must be with the Academy).

Fellows of the Academy are:

• Graham Cowin, Chair
• Leon Allen
• Richard Baddeley
• Trevor Beadle
• David Carmichael
• Robert Cross
• John Gibbs
• Raymond Hind
• Peter Huntsman
• Ann Kurts
• John McCormack
• Bill McFarlane
• Robert Miller
• Gary Nock
• Chris O’Sullivan
• Malcolm Royal
• Christian Schieber
• Karen Sinclair
• David Tadgell
• Tony Ward
• Steve Wilson

Any enquiries regarding the Academy or its courses should be directed to the Executive Secretary of the Institute

The Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (IPTA) is the peak professional body representing Australian patent and trade mark attorneys.
Phone Australia: 03 9819 2004. Email: mail@ipta.org.au

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