INTA Launches First Professional Certificate Program—Finance for Non-Finance Legal Professionals
06-Apr-2023
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Source : The International Trademark Association (INTA)
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Visits : 1410
NEW YORK - The International Trademark Association (INTA) announced in a press release that it has launched its inaugural professional certificate program. The Finance for Non-Financial Professionals Certificate Program is the first of the newly established INTA Certificate Program with registration opening April 5, 2023.
The Finance for Non-Financial Professionals Certificate Program is INTA’s first foray into the certificate program world. This is undertaken in accordance with the Association’s 2022–2025 Strategic Plan and Strategic Pillar of “Supporting the Development of IP Professionals,” which recognizes that the intellectual property (IP) profession is evolving, that IP professionals’ mandates are expanding, and that IP professionals today are expected to have substantive and dynamic skills beyond IP. This program focuses on overarching financial concepts rather than jurisdiction-specific elements, allowing it to provide critical foundational information on the topic of finance for all legal professionals and law students.
With a leadership team consisting of Brian Buss (CBIZ Forensic Consulting Group, USA), Brian Daniel (Charles River Associates, Inc, USA), Debra Hughes (Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, USA), and Alicia Lloreda (Lloreda Camacho and Co., Colombia), and a faculty that draws from the expert ranks of finance, law firms, and in-house practitioners, the Certificate Program offers expertise to the IP professional who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the financial aspects of managing brands.
The online program is designed to meet legal professionals and students where they are, with asynchronous learning to provide flexibility, and live office hours so that participants can confer with instructors in real time. Enrollees will have the option of moving through the ten-chapter syllabus, each of which is guided by comprehensive videos, Microsoft Excel exercises, and quizzes, at either a paced (designated time frame) or a non-paced tempo. For those interested in taking their learning further, supplemental reading lists are also available.
The material covered includes basic financial skills (including Microsoft Excel training, financial statements, benchmarking and comparing financial results, and the time value of money), specific applications for IP professionals (including brand and IP valuation; acquisitions and financing; finance and economic aspects of license agreements; tax, financial reporting, currencies, and transfer pricing; and damages in litigation), and finance of law management (e.g., corporate law department and law firm budgeting).
“Whether you are new to these concepts or have experience with the financial aspects of IP, this unique curriculum offers all participants the ability to explore the concepts at their pace and level of interest and consider ways to use these skills to support and collaborate with internal and external teams as a well-informed partner,” explained Ms. Hughes, who is currently serving as INTA Vice President and co-chair of the Brand Valuation and Evaluation Subcommittee of INTA’s Commercialization of Brands Committee (COBC).
“Trademarks, brands, and IP are often a business’ most valuable assets. INTA’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals Certificate Program hopes to bridge the knowledge gap between the legal and financial aspects of IP,” said Mr. Buss, co-chair of the COBC—Brand Valuation and Evaluation Subcommittee. “As knowledge is power, this course will clarify financial analysis concepts and enable more powerful interactions between legal and financial professionals.”
The program has been thoughtfully curated by a project team that includes finance, and legal professionals who conducted in-depth research to identify the form, content, and administration of the certificate program. Every effort has been made to develop a program that will offer the most effective and productive learning experience; various legal professionals tested the assessments, instructor training has been extensive, and the testing of the learning platform itself comprehensive.
“INTA is committed to providing the most holistic approach to representing and supporting the IP community. The next logical step is our certificate program, as it allows us to support our members to perform at the highest level with their increasingly robust portfolio of responsibilities in their organizations,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo. “This is the first of two programs we will launch this year, the second of which is the Trademark Administrators Certificate Program. Each one is crafted with the intention of developing a range of programs that serve to support IP professionals whose scope of responsibilities continues to grow.”