University of North Texas 
This page will regularly be updated with internal and external events that will guide researchers on the research commercial agreements process.
US Patent and Trademark Regional Office Events
2021 National Patent Application Drafting Competition national round
April 9, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT
The National Patent Application Drafting Competition (NPADC) is a team competition that introduces law students to U.S. patent laws and regulations, and it seeks to develop each participating student's patent application drafting, amending, and prosecuting skills. The competition started with 51 teams and is now down to the final five. Each team will defend their strategy to a live panel of distinguished judges drawn from the greater patent community.
Meet the Patent Experts: Class Five
April 21, 12:30-1:30 p.m. CT
Attend an interactive Q&A session with patent experts at the USPTO's Texas Regional Office, the fifth of a five-class curriculum on patents. Class five will cover the basics of patent searching and an introduction to searching strategies.
Innovators and entrepreneurs: Learn about IP basics and helpful resources
May 6, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT
Unfamiliar with patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets? Don't miss this opportunity to learn from USPTO experts about intellectual property (IP) basics and potential ways to protect your innovation as you transition from idea to product.
Meet the Patent Experts: Class One
May 19, 12:30-1:30 p.m. CT
Attend an interactive Q&A session with patent experts at the USPTO's Texas Regional Office, the first of a five-class curriculum of patents. Class one covers an overview of IP with a focus on patents, EFS-Web, and USPTO resources.
Innovators and entrepreneurs: Learn about IP basics and helpful resources
June 3, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT
Unfamiliar with patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets? Don't miss this opportunity to learn from USPTO experts about IP basics and potential ways to protect your innovation as you transition from idea to product.
Learn about design patents
June 4, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO Design Supervisory Patent Examiners Garth Rademaker and Michael Stout will lead a course on design patents, teaching the basics of the design patent system and how a design patent differs from a utility patent.
Visit USPTO's Texas Regional Office or Startup Resources pages for more information.
Event Series
The Path to a Patent quarterly series covers everything from intellectual property (IP) basics, to patent searching, to what you'll need to draft and submit your patent application. The series is part of our ongoing IP training for independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.
You can attend the entire series or just the sessions that best match your interests, but you must register for each session to attend. To learn more and register, select an individual session from the listing below.
Part I: IP basics
April 2, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will present an introduction to IP, the different types of IP, how to research/determine if an idea is novel, and the comparison between a provisional and nonprovisional patent application.
Part II: Learn how to draft a provisional patent application
April 16, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will discuss the key differences between provisional and nonprovisional applications, filing requirements and fees, different ways available to file a provisional application, and more.
Part III: Patent searching
April 30, noon to 1:30 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will give a presentation on patent searching, including preliminary searching, using the suggested Seven Step Strategy, tips and resources for searching, and more.
Part IV: Learn how to draft a patent application
May 14, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will discuss the formalities and requirements of drafting a patent application as well as common pitfalls to avoid. This course will help participants better understand patent application drafting.
Part V: Learn how to draft patent claims
May 21, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will present on the basics of claim drafting. You will develop a better appreciation of how a patent examiner views a claim during the course of examination.
Part VI: Learn how to protect your IP abroad
June 11, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will present on how to protect your IP in foreign jurisdictions and considerations and options for filing foreign patent applications.
Part VII: Learn how to file a patent application using EFS-Web
June 18, noon to 1:30 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will teach participants how to use the Electronic Filing System-Web (EFS-Web) and manage a patent application online using the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. The session includes an interactive tutorial, an overview of various helpful resources such as the Inventor's Assistance Center (IAC), and information about the Patent Electronics Business Center (EBC).
Part VIII: Common mistakes and support after filing
June 25, noon to 2 p.m. CT
USPTO experts will present on how to avoid common mistakes and gain a better understanding of post filing procedures and support.
Trademark Basics Boot Camp is offered regularly throughout the year. During each series run, we cover one module weekly for eight weeks, with each module focusing on different aspects of trademarks and the registration process, from filing and examination to post-registration requirements for keeping your registration alive. Each module concludes with a question and answer period where you can ask our USPTO trademark experts questions.
You can attend the entire series or just the sessions that best match your interests, but you must register for each session to attend.
Module 1: Fundamentals
April 6, 1-2 p.m. CT
In this first module, we will cover definitions and types of trademarks, benefits of federal registration, selecting a trademark, filing and registration, and how to find help.
Module 2: Searching
April 13, 1-2 p.m. CT
In this module, learn about important principles related to trademark searching and effective use of Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).
Module 3: Application requirements
April 20, 1-2 p.m. CT
This module focuses on knowing what is needed up front to help your filing process go more smoothly.
Module 4: Application filing walk-through
April 27, 1-2 p.m. CT
This module focuses on the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) and a live demonstration of a trademark filing will also be provided.
Module 5: Responding to an office action
May 4, 1-2 p.m. CT
This module focuses on responding to office actions, which are the official letters that USPTO examining attorneys issue after reviewing your trademark application.
Module 6: Registration process overview
May 11, 1-2 p.m. CT
This module focuses on the overall trademark registration process, from filing to registration.
Module 7: Keeping your registration alive
May 18, 1-2 p.m. CT
This module focuses on what happens after registration, including mandatory filings to keep your registration alive.
Module 8: Question-and-answer panel
May 25, 1-2 p.m. CT
In this final module of our eight-part virtual Trademark Basics Boot Camp, we will provide a unique opportunity for you to “meet the trademark experts.” Come prepared with all of your trademark questions to ask our Law Office managing attorneys and other trademark experts.
Trademark Basics Boot Camp series details are available on the event's webpage on the USPTO website.
Are you a law student interested in pursuing a career in IP? The USPTO is offering an interactive four-part course on patent prosecution. Don't miss your chance to learn from USPTO experts about the patent process and the ways patent examiners review your patent application.
Module One
April 7, 3-5 p.m. CT
Module One covers an overview of patents, steps for filing provisional and nonprovisional patent applications, and the examination process, including legal statutes in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP).
Module Two
April 21, 3-5 p.m. CT
Module Two covers the importance of patent claims, different types of claims, and claim interpretation.
Module Three
May 5, 3-5 p.m. CT
Module Three covers legal statutes more in-depth, including common prior art rejections and ways to overcome rejections to advance patent prosecution towards allowance.
Module Four
May 19, 3-5 p.m. CT
Module Four covers one of the most important skills for patent practitioners: drafting patent applications claims.
Patent Prosecution Boot Camp series details are available on the event's webpage on the USPTO website.
Coming This Quarter
- USPTO Design Day 2021
- Patent basics
- Design patents: The secret weapon for consumer products and fashion
April 22, noon to 2 p.m. CT
Join the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a morning of lively and thought-provoking discussion about various aspects of design patents, hosted by the USPTO. Get insights from USPTO design examiners and managers, design patent practitioners, and industrial designers.
May 6, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT
This session demystifies the patent process and discusses the role of a U.S. patent examiner and what to expect when working with the USPTO.
May 6, noon to 1:30 p.m. CT
After a brief introduction on what a design patent is and how to apply for design patent protection, learn about the benefits design patents provide in the consumer products and fashion industries. These industries face unique infringement challenges, with design patents being key enforcement tools. Join panels of design patent insiders, including attorneys, USPTO examiners, patent owners, and other leading designers in the consumer products and fashion industries to discuss the role and value of design patents.