Staff from the Intellectual Property Office have recently sharpened their skills through a seven-week virtual training programme conducted by the UK Intellectual Property Office.

The programme, which concluded last month, covered several key examination topics, including descriptiveness, distinctiveness, objections based on public policy and principles of morality.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said the training sessions were “interactive and enlightening”.

“The training, which included several real-life examples, sought and encouraged questions and comments from all participants, such as whether or not the applications would be accepted in their office and why,” the spokesman said.

“The training format allowed Bermuda and the Cayman Islands offices to compare their trademark examination practices with those in the UK.

“Interestingly, most scenarios discussed found converging practices in all three jurisdictions, especially for practices within the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.”

Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs, said the training was a great opportunity to lay a foundation of knowledge to be built upon while enhancing the skills of officers and the service experienced by the public.

"While the team enjoyed the experience, this training was of value to the department as they could immediately apply the knowledge and lessons learnt when examining or reviewing trademarks,“ she said.

“Ultimately, it has sparked greater interest in trademark examination throughout the IPO, which will help Bermuda grow our intellectual property.”