THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) expects a stronger intellectual property (IP) education in law schools across the country through its partnership with the Legal Education Board (LEB).
In a statement on Thursday, the IPOPHL said its IP Academy partnered with the LEB to promote IP via training, education, and research programs within the legal community.
The partnership was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of agreement between IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba and LEB Chairperson Anna Marie Melanie B. Trinidad.
IP Academy is the IPOPHL’s unit engaged in promoting IP education, professionalization, and research.
“With the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and other brainchildren of innovators, IP protection has been becoming more complex. These technologies have already shown their potential to manifest change and with it, the creation of new legal issues that require expertise in IP law,” Ms. Trinidad said.
According to the IPOPHL, a technical working group will be formed consisting of IPOPHL and LEB representatives that will implement action plans to support the partners’ objectives once a roadmap has been formulated.
IP Academy Director-in-Charge Frederick P. Romero said the partnership allows the crafting of laws adopting IP policies that promote IP awareness, respect, and enforcement in institutions.
“One way to know that we have effectively maximized this partnership is when we see an increasing number of legal professionals in the Philippines specializing in IP. We will begin to see these effects once we achieve a strengthened education system that students and professionals can depend on to enhance their competence and confidence in IP,” Mr. Romero said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave