Section 4: Professional obligations

The continuing professional training provided for by Article L. 422-10-1 is a professional obligation which ensures that each industrial property attorney registered on the list provided for in Article L. 422-1 updates and improves the knowledge required to practise his profession.

The duration of continuing education is twenty hours over the course of a calendar year or forty hours over the course of two consecutive years.

The continuing training obligation is satisfied:

1° By participation in training courses, of a legal, economic or professional nature, provided by higher education establishments, other educational establishments or continuing vocational training establishments;

2° Through participation in training courses provided by industrial property attorneys or by natural or legal persons established on the territory of a Member State of the European Union, a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and authorised to represent persons before the central industrial property service of that State ;

3° By attending symposia or conferences of a legal or economic nature related to the professional activity of an industrial property attorney;

4° By teaching courses related to the professional activity of an industrial property attorney, in an academic or professional context;

5° By publishing works of a legal or economic nature related to the professional activity of an industrial property attorney.

During the first two years of professional practice, this training includes at least ten hours relating to the management of a firm, professional ethics and professional status.

Any continuing training course that meets the conditions laid down in this article and is taken in another Member State of the European Union, in a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in the Swiss Confederation, is deemed to satisfy the continuing training obligation laid down in Article L. 422-10-1.

The procedures for implementing the provisions of this article are set by order of the Minister responsible for industrial property.

Industrial property attorneys shall declare, by 31 January each year at the latest, to the company the actions carried out for the purpose of fulfilling their continuing training obligation during the last calendar year that has elapsed or, where applicable, the last two years that have elapsed. Supporting documents useful for verifying compliance with this obligation are attached to this declaration.

The company monitors the effective fulfilment of the continuing professional development obligation of industrial property attorneys and checks the conformity of the training courses attended and the actions carried out, in particular their link with the activity of industrial property attorney.