Your source of knowledge on IP for plants
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5-6/9/2018 Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC • Washington D.C., USA Impressions: There is no better gratification for our work than to hear how inspirational the workshop experience was for our learners and, in case of the September 5-6 event in Washington, D.C., the positive feedback […]
22/10/2018 Novotel Campo de las Naciones, Madrid, Spain Impressions: One day before the opening of the FruitAttraction 2018 on the outskirts of Madrid, the second edition of CIOPORA Academy Madrid opened its doors to plant breeders from ten countries on both sides of the big […]
April 1, 2019 NH Cape Town Lord Charles • Stellenbosch, South Africa Workshop: From April 1 to 5, 2019, CIOPORA will hold its Annual General Meeting in Stellenbosch, South Africa. On the first day of the AGM week, the association will welcome its members and […]
The CIOPORA Academy is a specialized international training and certification program for individuals seeking to expand their knowledge of Intellectual Property (IP) protection for plant innovations and advance their career. The format is small-group learning, with “classroom” size ranging from 10 to 30 participants in each workshop.
The CIOPORA Academy combines learning and networking. It encompasses all areas of IP Protection relevant for players of the green business, such as Plant Breeders Rights (PBR), Patents, Trademarks and more. Courses are taught around the world on the quarterly basis and include networking social events. Our lecturers are renowned IP experts and experienced legal practitioners.
The CIOPORA Academy offers courses for breeders, propagators, growers, and traders working in horticulture. Programs within the academy are also beneficial for Intellectual Property experts, in-house counsels, and IPR managers wishing to expand their knowledge in this ever-changing industry.
Cost of the programs depends on the topic, the location and the number of courses in which an attendee participates. CIOPORA members, supporters enjoy a 50 per cent discounts on the regular rate. We also offer student discounts.
Thomas Leidereiter is an attorney and the owner of Green Rights in Hamburg, Germany. With nearly two decades’ experience as a specialized IP lawyer, including 14 years at a major German law firm and five years at his own, he has extensive expertise covering Plant Variety Protection, trademarks, designs, copyright and competition law. Thomas advises clients on all aspects of IP protection for plant innovations, including the licensing and enforcement of IP rights. He has been involved in a number of major court cases dealing with fundamental PVR issues in the ornamental and fruit sector. Thomas is a member of INTA, the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR), CIOPORA and CIOPORA Germany. He is a regular speaker on IP topics with several associations and institutions.
Dr. Travis Bliss is an intellectual property attorney at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He is the Chair of the firm’s IP Biotechnology Practice Group and also leads the firm’s plant IP practice within that group. Travis has extensive experience with procuring, licensing, and enforcing all major types of intellectual property that impact the horticulture, agriculture, and biotechnology industries, including plant and utility patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and IP licenses. Prior to attending law school, Travis earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware.
Alanna Rennie is an Associate in the Baker McKenzie Sydney office where she practices transactional and Plant Variety Rights related work, having assisted on a number of cross-jurisdictional PVR related matters, including contracts, enforcement and investment. She has been admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia. Ms Rennie graduated with honours in Bachelor of Laws and Commerce from Bond University and holds a Master’s in Chinese Law from Tsinghua University. Her Master’s Thesis focused on An Effective System for Plant Variety Rights in China. During this time, Ms Rennie extensively engaged with stakeholders in the China Plant Variety Rights space, including breeders, government official and academics. In 2018, Alanna joined the CIOPORA Office for a four months traineeship and has ever since made important contributions to CIOPORA’s understanding of the Chinese PBR regime. Currently, she acts as CIOPORA’s expert on China liaising with the PVP offices and relevant stakeholders. Having studied Mandarin from a young age and lived in China for nearly 3 years, Alanna is fluent in the language which provides her with unique insights into Chinese law, business culture and practices.
Bastiaan Koster is a registered South African Patent Attorney and Trademark practitioner. With educational background in electronic engineering, he began his career in Intellectual Property (IP) in 1988. Currently, he is the Managing Partner at Von Seidels, aCape Town based IP law firm.
Over the years, Bastiaan has developed an interest in advising clients on IP matters with specific emphasis on commercialisation and competitiveness. He also has extensive expertise in the area of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR), including commercialisation and PBR licensing. For many years, Bastiaan served on the Council of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) and held its Presidency in 2007.
Apart from his qualifications in South African law, Bastiaan is also involved in IP in the international context. He is a past president of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI) and has previously chaired the FICPI sub-committee dealing with Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources, and Folklore
22/10/2018 Novotel Campo de las Naciones, Madrid, Spain Impressions: One day before the opening of the FruitAttraction 2018 on the outskirts of Madrid, the second edition of CIOPORA Academy Madrid opened its doors to plant breeders from ten countries on both sides of the big pond. With 21 attendees, the workshop explored PVR and their enfocement in Spain, Greece, Ukraine,
5-6/9/2018 Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC • Washington D.C., USA Impressions: There is no better gratification for our work than to hear how inspirational the workshop experience was for our learners and, in case of the September 5-6 event in Washington, D.C., the positive feedback was overwhelming. One participant’s review stated that she was immediately able to put some of the learned contents into action for her company. For us at CIOPORA, this is what the CIOPORA Academy is about: the result-oriented learning.
April 23, 2017 Marriott Hotel • Ghent, Belgium WORKSHOP: The CIOPORA Academy held its sixth workshop on the fringes of CIOPORA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2018. This one-day, small group educational workshop offered five ‘Modules’ on today’s important topics relating to intellectual property in horticulture.
