The program is aimed at employees in legal, patent, and trademark departments of companies, organizations, and institutions as well as at employees of law firms, patent law firms, and public administrations.

IP paralegals…

• know the importance of IP and the national and international fundamentals of intellectual property law;
• are able to deal independently with the essential procedures in trademark, design, and patent law for the acquisition and maintenance of intellectual property rights;
• learn to use the standard IP tools needed for research and registration purposes;
• know how IP rights are filed, secured, and defended internationally (US, CN, EU, etc.); and
• can calculate national and international procedural costs and prepare offers.

• Fundamentals of IP Management
• Practical Aspects of IP Management

The ceremonial presentation of the diplomas takes place at the annual Paralegal Forum, to which you are cordially invited.

The program is characterized by methodological diversity, presentations,, interactive teaching and learning, and case studies.
In addition to lectures, discussions, and self-study, the program includes an excursion.

Lectures/classes are held on Friday and Saturday.

Dr. Stefanie Apeldoorn, European Patent Attorney at Rheinmetall Air Defence AG

Anita Auten, IP Paralegal

Dr. Oliviana Calin-Eller, Patent Attorney at E. Blum & Co. AG

Kate Coffey, IP Legal Counsel at Zurich Insurance Group

Dr. Rolf Dittmann, Patent Attorney, Partner at FREIGUTPARTNERS IP Law Firm

Dr. Christian Ebner, Patent Attorney at Rentsch Partner AG

Patrik Föllmi, Senior IP Paralegal, team leader of the patent, trademark, and design professionals at Rentsch Partner AG

Manuela Gisler, Senior IP Paralegal Lead at Hitachi Energy Ltd, Intellectual Property

Stephanie Hess, Senior IP Paralegal, patent, trademark, and design professional at Rentsch Partner AG

Kamran Houshang Pour, Senior IP-Trainer at Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

Matthias Käch, Senior IP-Trainer at Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

Dr. Alfred Köpf, Patent Attorney, Partner at Rentsch Partner AG

Joachim Künsch, Patent Attorney at IPrime Künsch Patentanwälte GmbH

Claudia Pohl, IP Paralegal at Patentanwälte Schaad Balass Menzl & Partner AG

Christoph Prill, Head of Administration at IPrime Rentsch Kaelin AG

Dr. Antje Rey, Partner at E. Blum & Co. AG

Sebastian Saissi, Attorney, Partner at FREIGUTPARTNERS IP Law Firm

Susanne Schindler, IP Paralegal at Rheinmetall Air Defence AG

Matthias Schönwald, IP Paralegal at Rentsch Partner AG

Dr. Stefan J. Schröter, Attorney at MLL Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Froriep AG

Dr. Marc Schwenninger, Attorney at SCHWENNINGER INGLIN Rechtsanwälte

Estelle Seiler, Legal Counsel at Decathlon Sports Switzerland SA

Ramin Shafai, Head of Program CAS IP Paralegal, Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (ZHAW); Partner at E. Blum & Co. AG

Nicole Stäheli, IP Paralegal at On AG

David Stärkle, Lecturer at Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (ZHAW); Attorney at Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

Dr. Birgit Weil, Head of Program CAS IP Paralegal, Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (ZHAW); Partner at WEIL Legal

Dr. Michael Widmer, Head of the Data Protection and IT Law Department, Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (ZHAW)

• Association romande de propriété intellectuelle (AROPI)
• Verband der freiberuflichen Europäischen und Schweizer Patentanwälte (VESPA)
• Verband der Industriepatentanwälte in der Schweiz (VIPS)
• Verband Schweizerischer Patent- und Markenanwälte (VSP)
• Swiss Paralegal Association (SPA)

• University degree or diploma from a professional college (professional education institution)
• At least three years’ professional experience

Professionals without a university degree may be admitted if they have at least five years of professional experience in a legal and/or IP working environment. Admission is decided by the head of the program based on the documents submitted by applicants.

Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received.