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Free USPTO/MBDA Webinars: Going Global with Intellectual Property

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Created on March 15, 2015
 

Are you planning to expand your business internationally to sell or buy innovative goods and technologies? Are you pondering opening a factory abroad, having your products made overseas, or starting an export or import business? Even if you are not planning on going overseas, knowledge of the international aspects of intellectual property may be critical for your business. 

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will co-host a series of free 1-hour webinars starting on April 28 to provide business owners with useful information on the international aspects of intellectual property and conducting commerce at home. Mark your calendars and register for this 3-part series offering keen insight about complex international laws.

Register today!

Tune in and get insightful information from senior USPTO intellectual property experts Susan Anthony, Michael Neas, and Susan M. Richey. The information discussed will help you protect and promote your intellectual property rights abroad.

Webinar Series Schedule

Tuesday: Copyrights – April 28, 1 p.m. EDT

Webinar overview:  There is no such thing as “international copyright,” but most countries do offer copyright protection to foreign works under certain conditions that have been greatly simplified by international copyright treaties and conventions.  Nonetheless, today’s businesses are increasingly facing both national and global copyright issues through protection and use of copyrighted materials in the digital age.  This webinar will lay the foundation with a brief explanation of the Berne Convention, followed by a discussion of the ways in which copyright laws in the countries of the world are similar or different, and conclude with examples of typical scenarios encountered by today’s businesses in protecting and using copyrighted works on the internet.  Participants also will be provided a “refresher” on what copyright is and the importance of copyright to all businesses, regardless of the industry or nature of the business.

Presenter:
Susan Anthony is the Acting Director for the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA), in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs in Alexandria, Virginia. GIPA provides training and education on all intellectual property issues – patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright – for foreign and U.S. government officials, U.S. small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to the general public. Ms. Anthony has a broad range of experience and expertise in almost all facets of intellectual property protection and enforcement, in the United States and abroad.

Wednesday: Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) – April 29, 1 p.m. EDT

Webinar overview:  Discover how filing an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) can simultaneously assist you in seeking patent protection for your invention in 148 countries around the world. Also, learn how the PCT provides guidance to collaborating patent offices on patent granting decisions, and offers the public access to technical information relating to intellectual property issues.

Presenter:
Michael Neas is the Deputy Director of the International Patent Legal Administration at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mr. Neas has spoken extensively on PCT subject matter to organizations such as national and local bar associations, and foreign IP Offices. In addition, Mr. Neas and his staff provide training on the filing and prosecution of PCT and United States (U.S.) national stage applications to inventors, applicants, patent practitioners, patent examiners, and paralegals.  His staff also provides direct assistance on PCT and U.S. national stage applications via the USPTO’s PCT Help Desk call center.

Thursday: Trademarks – April 30, 1 p.m. EDT

Webinar overview:
Well-protected, strong trademark rights provide a competitive edge in the marketplace. Trademarks distinguish your business from those of your competitors by signaling it as the source of particular goods and services and assuring consumers that a certain level of quality accompanies those goods and services. As such, trademarks often represent one of the most valuable assets that a company can own.

This webinar will equip today’s businessperson with a fundamental understanding of this valuable form of intellectual property and offer a framework for protection of their marks at home and abroad. Although protection of trademarks can be complex and varies country by country, by learning some basic strategies, today’s business person can safeguard these important assets whether the company does business on a national or international basis.

Presenter:
Susan M. Richey is the Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judge on the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Ms. Richey has been a frequent speaker on IP issues, has authored several law review articles and has co-authored a book on trademark valuation. She has served as a member of the Editorial Board of the Trademark Reporter, as chair of the INTA Panel of Neutrals, and as a member of INTA’s Academic Committee. Before joining the TTAB in 2014, Ms. Richey served as a Professor of Law and Associate Dean of the University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Register today for the webinar series and learn some valuable tips that will help you to protect your innovations and market your products effectively at home and abroad.