A majority of IP lawyers in India focus on patent law.
Iintellectual Property Rights (IPR) is a concept of recogniz-I ing exclusive rights to the person who creates intangible properties by using his mind or intellect. These include in-I ventions and discoveries; copyrights to protect works their clients have authored, such as music or computer programs; and trademarks to protect brand names and symbols. An Intellectual property (IP) lawyer's main job is to protect the IP of his clients.
IPR professionals can find jobs in the following areas:
Technical Graduates (with science, engineering, pharma, biotech, software degrees) can be trained to perform jobs relating to Patent Engineers and Examiners, and Valuation Experts. They can be consultants or advisors also.
Legal Graduates (LLB, LLM) are trained to be IP Attorney and represent their clients in IP-related litigations. As lawyers and paralegal staff, they can also find documentation and support work with law firms.
How and When to Join a Course?
One way of becoming a IPR professional is to join a law course with IPR specialization.
If you have a science background and have some work experience in research, then you could join a post-graduate diploma programme.
If you are a graduate or an undergraduate from any discipline ncluding practicing professionals, lawyers, scientists with a good command over written and spoken English you could join a short-term certificate course. You can also undergo one-year part-time programmes which are meant for technologists, scientists, lawyers and management professionals requiring an in depth understanding of intellectual property rights management.
IPR in India
Patent Rules in India are aimed at making the system simple, transparent and effective. These rules were notified in May, 2006. Consequently, the number of Patent Applications increased from less than 13,000 in 2003-04 to about 29,000 in 2006-07. Significantly, the grant of patents increased fourfold from 1911 in 2004-05 to 7539 in 2006-07. E-filing facility for patents and trademarks was inaugurated in July 2007, Modernisation of the Intellectual Property Offices involving more than Rs.300 crore would be implemented during the 11th Five Year Plan.
Another major initiative was the setting up of National Institute of Intellectual Property Management (INIIPM) at Nagpur. Indian Patent Office has been recognised as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This recognition would put India in an exclusive group of countries who are recognized as world leaders in the field of IPRs.
The National Design Policy was announced in February 2007. It envisages a key role for design in enhancing the competitiveness of Indian Industry. The focus is on spread of design education, branding of Indian designs and the establishment of a Design Council. A record number of 3.26 lakh Trade Marks were registered during 2004-07 as against only 1.67 lakh during all the previous years. The number of designs registered also increased significantly; the number being 4431 in 2006-07.
List of Institute and Courses
Many law colleges offer courses on IPR. Please check the websites of National Law Universities, prominent law colleges, NTs, and IIMs of your interest to find out if they offer IPR courses. However, there are some special institutions which are well-known for their IPR courses. These include:
National Institute for Intellectual Property Management (NIIPM), Patents Office, Government of India Training courses on patents
www.ipindia.nic.in
IIT Kharagpur Rajiv Gandhi School Of Intellectual Property Law
Three year LLB programme with specialization in Intellectual Property and One and Half Year Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law (PGDIPL)
www.iitkgp.ac.in
WIPO-IGNOU
One Year Post Graduate Masters in IP Diploma through distance education www.ignou.ac.in/ schools/sos/pgdiprl.htm#wipo
National Law School of India University, Bangalore One Year PG Diploma in IPR Law through distance education
www.nls.ac.in
Institute of Intellectual Property Studies (MPS) Post Graduate Diploma in Patent Law and Practice (PGDPLP), Certificate Course in Intellectual Property (CCIP), Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights Management, Association of Intellectual Property Rights, Post Graduate Diploma in Patent Management.
www.iips.ac.in
Global Institute of Intellectual Property (GIIP) Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights and Patent Management, Post Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law and Practice, Executive Post Graduate Programme in Patent Protection, Enforcement and Managemen.
www. giipinfo.com/our-programs.aspx
Indian Law Institute (Deemed University) Online certificate course on Intellectual Property Rights
www.ilidelhi.org/e-learn.htm
Bioinformatics Institute of India Industry
Program in Intellectual Property Rights (12 Month Distance Participation Program)
www.bii.in/page/academic_program/ bioinformatics_ipr_prospectus.asp
Inter University Centre, School of Legal Studies of the Cochin University of Science & Technology, LL.M course with specialization in the Intellectual Property Law,
ciprs.cusat. ac.in/llmonipr.php
চাকরির বাজার
IPR professionals are hired by large companies, law firms, government agencies and think tanks. Those academically inclined can take up teaching jobs or join research organizations.