Learnings and Takeaways from Alt Legal's Free Trademark Paralegal Course

?? In Q1, one of team goals was for everyone to successfully complete Alt Legal - IP Management Software ’s Free Trademark Paralegal Course, aligning with our commitment to continuous learning & #BetterEveryday mindset. Mission accomplished & goal achieved! ??

?

?? Throughout the course, we delved into crucial areas that both relate to our role as investigators & provide added context when supporting paralegals & attorneys. Although we had a general understanding of many aspects considering our experience & involvement in the IP industry, this course helped formalize our knowledge in an organized way & provided additional resources for future reference. It also appeased our often insatiable investigator’s curiosity when we think, “hmmm, I wonder why they did it that way?” Below are a few highlights:

?

?? Trademark Ethics for Non-Lawyers: Understanding the ethical considerations in trademark practice, especially for non-lawyers like paralegals & professional investigators, is paramount. Having the opportunity to review these concepts & discuss as a team empowers us to continue navigating potential landmines of UPL while maintaining the integrity & ethical standards that are ingrained in our culture. Add to this the fact that our attorney clients can be held accountable for our actions as non-lawyers per ABA Rule 5.3 (also a takeaway from Tamara’s participation in the ABA Paralegal webinar series). It just underscores the importance of what we do & more importantly, how we do it, so that not only we are protected but our clients are too.

?

?? Application Process for Trademarks: Learning more about the trademark applications process, from selecting & preparing applications to insights into filing strategies & requirements, further equips us to support our clients effectively during our IP investigation efforts. It helps us speak the same language & get on the same page faster or at a minimum, adds context around terminology that we’ve heard for years, come to understand & now have the basis behind it.

?

?? Trademark Use Investigations: Over the past 20+ years, we have honed our skills conducting comprehensive trademark use investigations. With the dawn of the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020, we paid close attention from the start to ensure our efforts aligned with the related reasonable investigation requirements, along with formatting tied to reporting & exhibits to ease the process when clients are preparing the verified statements. This course gave us a nice opportunity for a refresher & chance to revisit these particulars, citing successful TMA proceedings that we’ve supported.

?

?? Following our completion & passing the final exam (all with over 95% scores), one team member led a detailed presentation to facilitate discussion on how we can best leverage our learnings to better support our clients. From the role of paralegals to the implications of the TMA of 2020, we are more prepared than ever to serve & continue building on our foundational knowledge. Not to mention, we have a heightened appreciation & respect for what goes into the filing process, considerations & all the players involved in strategizing how to best register & protect the IP that surrounds us. ??

?

Huge thanks to Alt Legal - IP Management Software for offering this amazing free resource to support the IP community. ?? #Trademark #IntellectualProperty #IPRPI #AltLegal #NeverStopLearning