Mr. Soso Giorgadze Handed over Certificates of Successful Graduation from the International Summer Law School to Foreign Students

The International Summer Law School 2023 of the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) is over.  During 5 days, 11 students of the Faculties of Law of leading universities of 7 countries passed at Sakpatenti Training Center a specialized program, which covers study of various issues related to the intellectual property system. The Summer Law School in Georgia, organized under the aegis of ELSA and with the support of Sakpatenti, is aimed to arouse among students of the Faculties of Law interest in intellectual property, as well as to deepen knowledge in this field.

The participants of the Summer School got acquainted with separate intellectual property subject-matters, mechanisms of their legal protection and conditions of international registration. In particular, during the lecture course they considered issues related to trademarks, including absolute grounds for refusal of trademark registration, similarity of marks leading to likelihood of confusion and practical exercises of examination of trademarks using well-known trademarks. In addition, on the basis of the example of Georgia, border measures, mechanisms of intellectual property protection and enforcement were discussed at the lectures. The participants received information on the scope of protection of design and procedures of its registration, also familiarized with the specificity of protection of geographical indications, discussed copyright and related rights as well as limitations and exceptions in this respect. In addition, the students were introduced to inventions and utility models, infringement of exclusive rights deriving from patents and enforcement mechanisms. 

The course of lectures was led by Sakpatenti trainers accredited by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and invited tutors. Within the Summer Law School the students visited LEPL Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), where they got acquainted with the activity of the Agency and received extensive information on its functioning. Within the School program they also visited the customs check-point, where they familiarized with the specificity of work of the Customs Department and details of results of their activity.

Today, on occasion of the closing of the School, the students of the ELSA International Summer Law School were hosted at Sakpatenti Head Office in Mtskheta.  Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Sakpatenti Chairman, congratulated the participants of the ELSA International Summer Law School of the current year on successful completion of the studies and handed over to them in solemn ceremony certificates of passing the course. During the conversation with the students Mr. Soso Giorgadze noted: “In the period of innovations and new technologies intellectual property is a significant investment which determines the economic, social and cultural development of countries. Interest of the youth in this field is a guarantee of active development of this area in future, which will contribute to the improvement and perfection of the intellectual property system”.

ELSA is the association which covers 44 European states on the level of national groups, up to 390 well-known universities throughout Europe, more than 51000 students and young lawyers. ELSA Summer School is held annually in 32 countries in various fields of law. In Georgia the Summer School is organized by the European Law Students’ Association Georgia (ELSA-Georgia) and Sakpatenti since 2016. This year, students from Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Norway, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Great Britain participated in the event.