Patent Law for Paralegals
Patents are a type of intellectual property. Other types of intellectual property are copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. Patent law concerns the regulation of the rights to patents or inventions. Patent law for paralegals is not widely available like other substantive law courses for paralegals, such as litigation or contracts. Even general intellectual property law and trademark law courses for paralegals are more readily available. There are a few more available as live, recorded or online continuing legal education.
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Undergraduate Courses
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Some undergraduate paralegal programs at colleges and universities offer a general intellectual property course. The Center for Advanced Legal Studies in Houston offers one such course. "In this course students gain a basic understanding of legal protection given to ideas and inventions. Students learn the foundation of this area of law and the practical considerations encountered in the practice of intellectual property law."
Graduate Courses
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Some graduate paralegal or legal studies programs also offer intellectual property courses. The Montclair State University even offers a Master of Arts in Legal Studies with an optional concentration in intellectual property. It includes an advanced patent, trademark and copyright law course, which is a continuation of its undergraduate fundamentals of patent, trademark and copyright law course.
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Textbooks
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In 2009, attorney Deborah E. Bouchoux published two textbooks addressing intellectual property and patent law for paralegals. "Intellectual Property: The Law of Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, and Trade Secrets for the Paralegal, 3rd Edition" is a comprehensive guide to copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets. "Patent Law for Paralegals, 1st Edition" approaches the subject of patent law in a well thought-out and logical manner. It provides a detailed basis of the life cycle of a patent.
Live Continuing Legal Education
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HalfMoon Seminars offered two live, in-person patent workshops for paralegals. "U.S. Patent Workshop for Paralegals" covers collecting information about the invention and existing patents, preparing U.S. patent applications, U.S. patent prosecution and managing and preserving U.S. patent rights. "International Patent Workshop for Paralegals" covers European patent convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty. HalfMoon Seminars also offers recordings of its previously recorded live workshops for self-study.
Online Continuing Legal Education
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The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) offers two live, online continuing legal education courses addressing patent law for paralegals. "Intellectual Property: What Every Paralegal Should Know" furnishes participants with the information they require to recognize and differentiate a copyright from a patent issue, a trademark from a trade secret and more. NALA offers "Patent Prosecution" as a comprehensive overview of the patent prosecution process.
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References
- Lawyers.com: Areas of Law Definitions
- Center for Advanced Legal Studies
- Montclair State University: Legal Studies Graduate Course Descriptions
- "Intellectual Property for the Paralegal, 3rd Edition"; Deborah E. Bouchoux, Esq.; 2009
- "Patent Law for Paralegals, 1st Edition"; Deborah E. Bouchoux, Esq.; 2009
Resources
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