Design Patents and the Hague Agreement Option: Evaluating the Benefits and Risks of Filing an IDA (Sep. 2022)

Director Tracy-Gene G. Durkin will speak on the webinar “Design Patents and the Hague Agreement Option: Evaluating the Benefits and Risks of Filing an IDA,” hosted by Strafford on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

This CLE course will guide patent counsel on the application process under the Hague Agreement as well as the pros and cons of filing under the Agreement. The panel will discuss lessons learned from the first few years that U.S. applicants have had access to the Hague System. The panel will offer best practices for filing design patent applications.

Description

Under the Hague Agreement, applicants may apply for design protection by filing a single, standardized International Design Application (IDA) in a single language. Applicants will see potential cost savings and will enjoy provisional rights in the U.S.

However, filing under the Hague Agreement is not without its challenges. For example, there is no universal drawing standard and countries have different requirements. Patent counsel must understand the IDA process and its benefits and risks to carefully evaluate and determine whether to file an IDA under the Hague Agreement or file direct national applications.

Listen as our authoritative panel of speakers from the USPTO, WIPO, and private practice discuss the pros and cons of filing under the Hague System and its impact on design patent filings globally.

Outline

1. Overview of the Hague System globally, its members, who is using it and how
2. Update from the USPTO on how it is approaching examination of IDAs, including best practices for filing an IDA indirectly through the USPTO
3. Practice tips for preparing an IDA for filing in multi-jurisdictions including examination countries like the U.S., Japan, and Korea

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the IDA under the Hague Agreement?
• What are the lessons learned since U.S. applicants have had access to the Hague System?
• What best practices should counsel employ when filing an IDA?