TAMIU-SBDC Offers Intellectual Property Workshop Sept. 15

An opportunity to better understand the complexities of intellectual property will be the focus of a day-long workshop Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, hosted by Texas A&M International University’s Small Business Development Center (TAMIU-SBDC).

TAMIU-SBDC is partnering with the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA).  The Workshop will provide basic information on securing patents, trademarks, and copyrights, includes small group meetings to focus on specific topics, and short one-on-one consultations with intellectual property lawyers.

The Workshop cost is $10 per person and includes a light breakfast. It will be held in TAMU’s Student Center Ballroom, room 203. Registration is available at https://go.tamiu.edu/USPTO

The Workshop is part of a Pro Bono state-wide program providing educational workshops on how to protect the intellectual capital of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and inventors located in underserved communities throughout Texas. 

It has been offered to 500+ stakeholders in Corpus Christi, McAllen, Fort Worth, El Paso, Waco, Nacogdoches, Lubbock, Odessa, and Alpine.  These workshops have been extremely well-received by these communities.

The TAMIU-SBDC offering is a first for Laredo.

Norma Rodríguez, TAMIU-SBDC director, said the Workshop should have broad appeal to a variety of small business owners and those with specific business interests.

“Intellectual Property is a dynamic area that can impact a wide spectrum of businesses.  The Workshop will especially look at four tracks that see the most challenges in today’s marketplace:  software, mechanical/electrical inventions, consumer products, and art.  The latter especially impacts those focused on creative pursuits with copyright law concerns,” Rodríguez observed.

She noted that participants will also have an opportunity for one-on-one consultations.

“The final Workshop session consists of a 20-minute one-on-one consultation between lawyers and individual attendees.  During these confidential sessions, these volunteer attorneys provide free individualized legal assistance to the inventor, entrepreneur, or artist on a particular problem or issue,” Rodríguez said.  

For more on the TAMIU-SBDC, visit https://www.tamiu.edu/sbdc/, email sbdc@tamiu.edu or call 956.326.2827. TAMIU-SBDC offices are located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 321.