IPlegalED’s Trademark Paralegal Certificate Course

It should be noted that the ABA (American Bar Association) only approves courses that include General Education, which is defined by the ABA as, “an academic college-level course designed to give students a broadly based liberal arts education,” so the IPlegalED course cannot be approved by the ABA under the current rules, which are not designed for approval of such specialized professional courses.

Trademark administration is a very demanding area of legal administration. There are rules to master, abstract concepts to understand and always deadlines to meet. Qualified trademark paralegals (also called trademark specialists or trademark secretaries) are in high demand and are well paid. A trademark paralegal works with one or more trademark attorneys and handles all the administrative work involved in the long and complex process for trademark clearance (searching), application, surveillance and enforcement. This usually involves a lot of formal correspondence between the trademark attorney and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It’s a profession that requires intelligence, initiative and good organizational skills. Regular paralegals cannot do this work and a considerable degree of training is required. Experienced trademark paralegals are often given a great deal of responsibility for day-to-day trademark matters.

If you are an experienced trademark paralegal

The course will provide you with a valuable and comprehensive refresher of your skills, will help you remember what you may have forgotten, and will bring you up to date with all the new rules.

If you have just a couple of years experience

The course will provide a clear, step-by-step guide to trademark administration, and teach you all that you need to know to confidently handle the administration of a trademark portfolio, in a law firm or in a corporate trademark department. The course book will be a valuable reference source.

If you are new to trademark administration

The course been carefully designed from the ground up to explain all terms and principles that you will need to understand the more complex elements of trademark administration. It requires no specific prior knowledge, just a willingness to learn. Of course, the less experience you have, the more time you may want to spend on the early chapters, but that should not be a problem. The IPlegalED course has been designed so that you can work at your own pace and stop, start, or repeat sections as often as you wish.

The IPlegalED trademark paralegal course is the first complete, self-contained course designed to teach you how to confidently handle the administrative side of trademark practice. It is written in plain English, with the minimum of unnecessary legal jargon to make it clear and easy to follow. Whether you’re taking it to refresh your skills, catch up on new or infrequently used rules, or are embarking upon an entirely new career, you’ll find all you need to know right here.

The course will provide you with complete, clear, step-by-step directions to guide you through the often bewildering maze of trademark administration procedures, showing you how to fill out forms, docket dates and file documents with the Trademark Office. In short, we teach you how to confidently handle everything necessary to support one or more trademark attorneys, either at a law firm, corporation, government department, or university.

The course is designed to be useful for all levels of experience, from novice to highly trained trademark paralegals with many years of experience. If you are highly experienced you will no doubt cover the early chapters quickly. A novice will have to spend more time learning the fundamental principles of trademark law which are covered in detail early in the course using a simple, plain-English style of prose. No matter what your level of experience, you will find this course useful, informative and helpful in your day-to-day trademark paralegal practice.

What happens if I have questions?
Unlimited, expert support from trademark professionals is available online. Additionally, the course has been carefully designed to anticipate and answer the most common questions that you may have.

Does my computer have to be online to take the course?
No. The course is designed to be downloaded to your computer and / or printed out, so you do not have to be logged on to study. In fact, if you choose to print out the course, you do not even have to use a computer to study. Only the quizzes and the final exam must be taken and graded online.

Can I repeat sections if I need to?
You can stop, start, or repeat sections and quizzes as often as you need. For the quizzes, only your most recent score is recorded. The final exam may be retaken up to three times (see below).

Will there be tests?
Yes. The IPlegalED course is an interactive course, designed to teach, reinforce and test your knowledge. A multiple choice quiz is given at the end of each chapter. When you’ve completed all the chapters, there is a final exam. A score of 70% or above is required to pass the course, and a certificate is awarded upon passing. If you do not pass the final exam within three (3) attempts, you will be allowed to retake the final exam an additional three times for a fee of $250.

How long will the course take?
The entire course should take between about 50 and 100 hours, possibly longer if you are a novice. You have 100 days from the exact second the course is activated to complete the course, so you should have plenty of time. We recommend the student take the final exam the day *before* the timer ends to ensure they can complete the final before the clock expires.

How long do I have to complete the course?
You will have 100 days from the exact second the course is activated to complete the course, including taking and passing the final exam. You will receive an email as soon as the course is activated. This should be plenty of time (only about 3-4 hours per week are needed). If, however, you are unable to complete the course in that time, you may contact us to obtain an extension for a fee.

Extensions and Suspensions

In the rare case that a student requires extra time to complete their course, an extension of time may be purchased. This will add a set amount of time to the current clock. Time may be purchased in one, two, or three month increments, and must be paid for by credit card at the time of request. Only one extension may be purchased per course.

Any suspensions to a course clock are only for one month, and are not extendable. While a course is suspended, the student has no access to the online course or quizzes.

Any extensions of time or suspensions must be requested and approved in writing BEFORE the expiration of their 100 day timer.

Is there a deadline for registration?
No. Registration is ongoing, and you can register at any time you like, 365 days per year. Simply use the on-line registration process found on the IPlegalED.com homepage.

How much does the course cost?
The cost of the entire course is $1,695. There are absolutely no hidden or additional costs.

Can I pay in installments?
Yes. We are set up to process monthly recurring credit card payments for individual registrants. If a business, corporation, or law firm is paying, the installment plan may not be used. If you would like to use the installment plan, please contact us at questions@iplegaled.com. We will send you the forms you need to apply. The forms are not available on the web site.

Are printed reference materials provided?
Yes. The entire text of the course is designed to be downloaded and printed out to provide a useful day-to-day working reference with step-by-step instructions covering all aspects of trademark administration.

Can I save the course to more than one computer?
Yes. Many students save the course to their work computer and also to their home computer to allow them the flexibility of studying at both locations. You are allowed to download the course to two (but no more than two) computers. The course may only be used by the registered student of record. All materials are copyrighted and the copyright is strictly enforced.

A full refund will be given promptly if, for any reason, you find that after having signed up, you cannot use the site or cannot take the course. In order to get a refund, you must contact us, explain the problem, and specifically request a refund within one week (7 days) of signing up. Note that if you have paid by credit card, there will be a credit card fee charged by the credit card processor (not by IPlegalED) of up to 5% that will not be returned.