CLDP, in cooperation with Georgian Bar Association (GBA), the Georgian Copyright Association (GCA), the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (Sakpatenti) and the Association of Law Firms of Georgia (ALFG), hosted two-part Workshops on Litigation of Trademark and Copyright Disputes  for Georgian Legal Professionals. On September 17, 20 attorneys selected by ALFG workshop participated in the program. On September 18-19, there were 5 GCA attorneys, 10 Sakpatenti attorneys, and 35 attorneys selected by GBA. Douglas Halijan and Joshua Kaufman, U.S. attorneys with extensive experience in civil intellectual property litigation, served as advisors for the workshop.

The workshop incorporated specific questions posed by the partner organizations to address most pressing and relevant issues in intellectual property disputes, and contained targeted case studies prepared by GCA and Sakpatenti. The two parts of the workshop were tailored to address the interests of each particular audience.

This program follows CLDP’s previous training of legal professionals in Georgia, including a program in May 2013 which focused on international sales contracts, complex international business transactions, arbitration, and an examination of key international commercial instruments, and a program in February 2014 on commercial legal transaction. This capacity building program will create a critical mass of Georgian legal professionals who can fairly, efficiently, and effectively represent companies in intellectual property disputes, thereby contributing to the goal of improved enforcement of intellectual property rights in Georgia.