REPRESENTATION
PRAKTIKA INTERN
In-house training programme for patent professionals
The EPO offers short training internships aimed at European patent attorneys (in private practice or industry) and suitably experienced candidates for the European qualifying examination (EQE).
The programme is run by the European Patent Academy, whose objectives include the promotion of equal access to training opportunities related to international and European patent law and practice in all current and future EPC contracting states.
Programme
Trainees spend three weeks (extendible to four) in Directorate-General 1 (search, examination and opposition), or in Directorate-General 3 (appeals).
In DG 1 they work on actual case files, under the supervision of an examiner who explains how DG 1 works and how to use its electronic tools. DG 1 internships are possible only at a set time, which for 2011 is as follows:
6 to 24 June 2011 (Munich)
In DG 3, trainees are assigned to a technical board of appeal in Munich, between dates agreed with the board in question. They learn about the procedure before the boards of appeal, and may also be able to attend oral proceedings.
Costs
The actual training is free, but trainees must pay their own living costs and other expenses.
Admission
Candidates for the programme must be nationals of an EPC contracting state, and their residence or place of business must also be in such a country.
They are required to have adequate knowledge of European and/or a national patent grant procedure, and must have successfully completed the CEIPI/epi basic training in European patent law or at least an equivalent course. For DG 3 training they must also have further patent-law qualifications (preferably the EQE or national patent-attorney examination) and practical experience of dealing with patent cases (filing, opposition and/or appeals).
In addition, they must have a good knowledge of at least one EPO official language and a basic knowledge of the other two. The number of places on the programme each year is limited, and preference will be given to candidates whose mother tongue is not an EPO official language.
Candidates can enrol online at
www.epo.org/about-us/jobs/vacancies/internships/patent-professionals.html.
Applications must reach the European Patent Academy no later than 31 December 2010.
European Patent Office
European Patent Academy
80469 Munich, Germany