Patent Attorneys’ Role Reviewed

NEWS RELEASE

22 April 2003

Patent Attorneys’ Role Reviewed

Intellectual Property law firm, A J Park, is pleased the Government has maintained professional standards for patent attorneys in the amendments just agreed to by Cabinet for modernising the regulation of the patent attorney profession.

Concerned at the possible watering down of professional regulation for patent attorneys in New Zealand, Bryan Thompson, partner at A J Park, says it is essential that patent attorneys are highly and appropriately qualified for the purpose of protecting New Zealanders’ intellectual property rights.

“We welcome the decision that to draft and file patent applications must continue to be done by adequately qualified patent attorneys. It is a highly specialised field where mistakes would be very costly for the client and for the New Zealand economy”, he says.

Thompson says a badly prepared patent specification removes the possibility of robust protection because once the invention is on public record the damage can not be repaired.

“New Zealand is currently highly regarded overseas for the quality and professionalism of our patent attorneys, so it is good the Government has recognised this is a standard worth preserving,” he says

ENDS

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