IP Advisory Network
Participants and objectives
The IP Advisory Network is a public-private partnership of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) and the patent attorney associations VESPA, ASPTA and LIPAV. Its aim is to simplify an introduction to intellectual property (IP) rights for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and enable them - as well as private individuals - to take advantage of a free first consultation concerning patent protection and copyright protection for software.
What the IPI offers
The IPI is responsible for coordinating the network and maintains and publishes a list of the participating law firms on its website. In addition, as a member of the IP Advisory Network and as the examining authority for Swiss patent applications, the IPI provides general information on intellectual property rights.
What the patent law firms offer
A free first consultation provided by patent law firms includes a one-off personal consultation of a maximum of 45 minutes carried out in the chambers of the patent attorney. It can extend to the entire field of patent protection and copyright protection of software and, in particular, encompass questions concerning patentability, the best IP strategies and costs for obtaining protection.
The quality of the consultation is assured in that only those patent law firms that employ Swiss or European patent attorneys can be a part of the network. A consultation may only be provided by specially-qualified people.
The following members of ASPTA participate in the IP Advisory Network: