Registered Attorneys

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

From 1 July 2008, all registered attorneys and trade marks attorneys will be required to spend minimum of 10 hours per year in formal CPE.
Attorneys who are registered both as patent and trade marks attorneys will be required to complete a minimum of 15 hours per annum of formal CPE.
CPE activities must be completed in the given year and cannot be carried forward as credit to future years.
Where an attorney is registered for the first time during the year, the requirement to undertake CPE will not commence until the first full year of registration.

The CPE requirement will be self-regulating. Attorneys will be asked to confirm on their annual registration form that they have completed the required hours of CPE in the past year. Failure to confirm compliance with CPE requirements may result in cancellation of registration.

Professional organisations such as IPTA, IPRIA and IPSANZ have approached the Board for accreditation of some seminars and conferences for CPE. Those approved by the Board are detailed here: Accredited CPE Courses

It is expected that formal audits will not commence until 2011, thus providing attorneys with an initial period in which to become familiar with CPE opportunities and to inculcate CPE activities within their work programs. This does not rule out the possibility of a particular attorney being audited before then if doubt has arisen about whether they have met their obligations. For more detail please see the new CPE Guidelines.

Renewals

Registration is renewable every year and is payable on 1 July each year.

A renewal notice will be sent to all registered attorneys by no later than 1 June.

The address for the notice will be the current address shown on the Register of Patent Attorneys [Regulations 20.23 of the Patent Regulations] or the Register of Trade Marks Attorneys [Regulations 20.14 of the Trade Marks Regulations].

Where the fee is not paid by 31 July the Designated Manager is required to remove the attorney's name from the register and advise the attorney of the removal.

To restore a name removed for non-payment, you must pay the registration fee together with the fee applicable under Regulation 20.30 of the Patent Regulations to 'item 107 of Schedule 7' or under Regulation 20.14 of the Trade Marks to 'item 31 of Schedule 9' on or before 1 September of the year in which the attorney's name was removed from the Register, or within such further period as the Designated Manager reasonably allows

Voluntary removal

Registered attorneys may apply to the Designated Manager to have their name removed from the register for up to three years. During the period of voluntary removal, you must not practise or carry on business as a patent attorney

Voluntary removal is applied for under [Regulation 20.26 of the Patents Regulations] or trade mark attorney [Regulation 20.14 of the Trade Marks Regulations].

Application form for Voluntary Removal

Restoration

Where attorneys have removed their name from the register voluntarily, they must apply to the Designated Manager for restoration of their name.

They must also pay the fee specified in item 107 of Schedule 7 of the Patents Regulations [Regulation 20.29 of the Patents Regulations] or the fee specified in item 31 of Schedule 9 of the Trade Marks Regulations [Regulation 20.14 of the Trade Marks Regulations].

Restoration form for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys following voluntary removal

Restoration form for patent and trade marks attorney following non payment of fees

Restoration form for patent and trade marks attorney in other circumstances

Lists of Registered Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys

Registered Patent Attorneys

Registered Trade Marks Attorneys

Amendments to the lists should be sent to -

The Secretary
Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys
PO Box 200
Woden ACT 2606
Tel (02) 6283 2345
Fax (02) 6285 1048
mail.psb@ipaustralia.gov.au