Optimizing PCT Courses
Optimizing PCT – A Goal-Oriented Course
PCT provides a pool of options which can be used in many ways. This course considers the possibilities in relation to specific goals, showing why each option should be chosen, how they contribute to the applicant’s goals, and possible benefits and risks.
Goals covered include avoiding filing defects and search problems, improving the quality and speed of written opinions, increasing value for the applicant, fixing unusual problems, smoothing entry and reducing administration in the national phases. These
goals are not only important in real-life, but they often form part of EQE/EPAC examination questions.
This course is ideal for trainee patent attorneys and paralegals / IP administrators with a good understanding of PCT actions and procedure who wish to check and deepen their knowledge. The focus of the course is on PCT’s unusual formal requirements, but unfamiliar substantive requirements are also covered.
This Optimizing PCT course can be adapted for attorneys as an EQE revision course, for administrators/paralegals as an EPAC revision course, or for administrators/paralegals as an advanced PCT formalities course.
This Optimizing PCT course can be given in-person as a 1-day or a 2-day course, using exercises based on EQE / EPAC exam questions. An online version divided over 4x 3 hr sessions is also available.
- Review of the main steps in PCT and recent PCT changes
- Key PCT resources for revision & during the exam
- Avoiding filing errors and defects
○ Fatal errors to be avoided, Best practices during preparation and filing
○ Filing at different receiving offices, including IB
○ Avoiding shortfalls when paying - Reducing administration during national phases
○ Using DAS for priority documents, Rule 4.17 declarations in ePCT
○ Changing data under Rule 92bis, Filing Article 19 amendments - Relevant future developments, Example EQE questions
- Avoiding and fixing unusual problems
○ Correcting obvious errors, Excuse of missed time limits
○ Restoration of priority, Incorporation of missing elements and parts - Avoiding problems during search
○ Responding to non-unity objections, Paying additional search fees
○ Dealing with a declaration of no search - Improving quality of patentability opinions (1)
○ Providing earlier search results to ISA, Use of PCT-direct to get a fee refund - Relevant future developments, Example EQE questions
- Improving quality of patentability opinions (2)
○ Requesting a supplementary international search
○ Filing a demand and discussing the case by phone
○ Filing third-party observations anonymously - Increasing value of application for applicant
○ Speed and accuracy contributing to a positive opinion
○ PCT and national actions to create provisional protection
○ Accelerating, delaying or preventing publication
○ Registering for licensing
○ Early entry, accelerating national grant - Relevant future developments, Example EQE questions
- Smoothing national and regional entry
○ Best practices in general
○ Early entry or delaying national entry
○ Use of bypass route instead of US entry - EP entry
○ Review of the main steps
○ Optimising EP entry
○ Early entry before the EPO
○ EP entry with Further Processing - Relevant future developments, Example EQE questions
Feedback from 2024: “Pete’s PCT course helped me to better understand the intricacies of the PCT system and its processes, including formalities. Pete put a special emphasis on the subject matter that could be important for EQE. We solved few EQE questions together with Pete, where he did not merely provide answers to the questions but showed how he would approach the questions and shared his thought processes with us in real time. Pete also shared his experience in prosecuting PCT applications and gave us actionable tips, which when I put into practice provided favourable results for my client. On a personal note, as someone who finds natural language rather ambiguous, I must say that Pete’s delivery perfectly matched my needs for clarity and precision of language. I highly recommend this course to all who would like to deepen their understanding of the PCT system – to both EQE candidates and seasoned practitioners. Last but not least, “meeting” Pete was really inspiring as it is inspiring to meet an experienced practitioner who loves what he does and dedicates so much of his time and energy to sharing his knowledge and experience with others.”
Optimizing PCT – EQE Revision Course (online)
A Goal-Oriented Revision Course: 4 evenings, approx. 12 hours of training, small groups, online. For trainee patent attorneys.
- Are you preparing for Paper D?
- Are you struggling with the topic of PCT?
- Would you like to finally understand the big picture?
- Do you want to focus on PCT and revise all steps in the procedure?
- Are you not sure how to study for this part of the exams?
- Do you need to study outside work hours?
- Would you like to refresh the topic of PCT in four evenings?
If your answer is yes, you can join Pete POLLARD‘s PCT revision course. Study plan, dates and details: www.fillun.com/pct-revision-course-with-pete-pollard
Optimizing PCT – Advanced Formalities Course (online)
A Goal-Oriented Guide to the Formal Requirements: 1.5 days, approx. 12 hours of training, online. For paralegals & IP administrators.
- Influencing procedure with formality actions
- Avoiding filing defects, reducing administration during national
phases and problems during search and examination - Improving quality and speed of patentability opinions
- Increasing value of application for applicant
- Smoothing national and regional entry, entry before EPO
- Latest developments in the PCT system
Study plan, dates and details: www.forum-institut.com.
Webcode: 24071132
