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IP-009

Trademark Examination, Classification and Managing Provisional Refusals

Intensive 5-day course · English, Arabic & European languages

Trademark counsel, examiners and administrators develop a structured approach to classification, examination objections and provisional refusals over 5 days. Delegates practise drafting clear goods and services descriptions, analysing refusal grounds and coordinating responses. The course distinguishes WIPO formalities from national or regional examination and separates refusal notification periods from local response deadlines.

Classroom

Public courses in our cities

  • 26–30 Oct 2026Dubai£4,200 + VAT
  • 26–30 Oct 2026Muscat£3,080 + VAT
  • 9–13 Nov 2026Barcelona£3,080 + VAT
  • 23–27 Nov 2026Riyadh£4,200 + VAT
  • 23–27 Nov 2026Manama£3,080 + VAT
  • 14–18 Dec 2026Paris£3,600 + VAT
Show 26 more dates
  • 28 Dec – 1 Jan 2026Doha£4,200 + VAT
  • 28 Dec – 1 Jan 2026Dubai£4,200 + VAT
  • 4–8 Jan 2027London£3,360 + VAT
  • 18–22 Jan 2027Berlin£3,400 + VAT
  • 1–5 Feb 2027Istanbul£2,280 + VAT
  • 15–19 Feb 2027Milan£3,400 + VAT
  • 8–12 Mar 2027Vienna£3,400 + VAT
  • 22–26 Mar 2027Malaga£3,080 + VAT
  • 12–16 Apr 2027Barcelona£3,080 + VAT
  • 26–30 Apr 2027Sarajevo£3,400 + VAT
  • 10–14 May 2027Paris£3,600 + VAT
  • 24–28 May 2027Dubai£4,200 + VAT
  • 7–11 Jun 2027London£3,360 + VAT
  • 21–25 Jun 2027Riyadh£4,200 + VAT
  • 5–9 Jul 2027Istanbul£2,280 + VAT
  • 19–23 Jul 2027Doha£4,200 + VAT
  • 9–13 Aug 2027Vienna£3,400 + VAT
  • 23–27 Aug 2027Geneva£4,200 + VAT
  • 13–17 Sep 2027Barcelona£3,080 + VAT
  • 27 Sep – 1 Oct 2027Abu Dhabi£4,200 + VAT
  • 11–15 Oct 2027Paris£3,600 + VAT
  • 25–29 Oct 2027Cairo£2,280 + VAT
  • 1–5 Nov 2027London£3,360 + VAT
  • 15–19 Nov 2027Jeddah£4,200 + VAT
  • 6–10 Dec 2027Istanbul£2,280 + VAT
  • 20–24 Dec 2027Singapore£4,200 + VAT

Group discount: 2 delegates 20% · 3 delegates 35% · 5 or more delegates 50%

Can't make these dates? We can run this course for your team on dates that suit you. Ask for custom dates · In-house options

Online (live)

With a trainer, on dates to suit your team

This course can be taught live online by a trainer, in English, Arabic or any European language, for one person or a whole team.

£1,850 + VAT

Group discount: 2 delegates 20% · 3 delegates 35% · 5 or more delegates 50%

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Trademark Examination, Classification and Managing Provisional Refusals

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Course overview

Trademark applications can encounter problems because descriptions are unclear, signs are insufficiently distinctive or earlier rights create conflict. In international matters, a notice from WIPO and a provisional refusal from a designated office involve different issues and response routes. This course develops a method for diagnosing the problem, establishing the applicable procedure and organising a supported response. It focuses on examination analysis and classification rather than the wider administration of a Madrid portfolio.

Day 1 examines the purpose and limits of the Nice Classification and the construction of precise goods and services lists. Day 2 considers absolute grounds, including descriptiveness and distinctiveness. Day 3 addresses earlier rights, comparison of signs and the role of oppositions under different systems. Day 4 works through provisional refusal notices, local response deadlines and representative instructions. Day 5 brings the analysis together through a response planning exercise. Across the five days, delegates distinguish substantive arguments from permissible amendments, recognise when local evidence is needed and track the territorial scope of any eventual grant or continuing refusal.

Course objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

  1. Apply Nice Classification principles to goods and services descriptions
  2. Assess common absolute and relative grounds for refusal
  3. Distinguish WIPO irregularities from designated office objections
  4. Analyse refusal notices and identify local response requirements
  5. Develop a reasoned response and outcome tracking plan

Target competencies

  • Classification analysis
  • Specification drafting
  • Examination reasoning
  • Refusal response coordination
  • Territorial outcome assessment

Who should attend

This course suits:

  • Trademark counsel
  • Trademark examiners
  • IP paralegals
  • Trademark administrators
  • In-house brand protection specialists

Training methodology

  • Lectures explain classification and examination principles.
  • Worked examples compare specifications and refusal grounds.
  • Group exercises analyse fictional notices and prepare response plans.
  • Discussion examines evidential gaps and differences between office practices.

Daily agenda

  1. Day 1

    Classification and precise specifications

    • Nice Classification structure and purpose
    • Goods versus services in business descriptions
    • Ambiguous terms and acceptable wording
    • Class headings and scope interpretation
    • Narrowing specifications without extending protection
  2. Day 2

    Absolute grounds examination

    • Distinctiveness and descriptive signs
    • Generic terms and customary expressions
    • Deceptive signs and public policy objections
    • Acquired distinctiveness and evidence requirements
    • Assessing signs in the relevant market context
  3. Day 3

    Earlier rights and comparative assessment

    • Similarity of marks and overall impression
    • Comparison of goods and services
    • Likelihood of confusion assessment
    • Office examination and opposition differences
    • Consent and coexistence considerations
  4. Day 4

    Diagnosing provisional refusals

    • WIPO formalities versus territorial examination
    • Reading partial and total refusal notices
    • Office notification periods and opposition exceptions
    • Local response deadlines and representation rules
    • Instructions, evidence and response approvals
  5. Day 5

    Response strategy and final outcomes

    • Argument, amendment and limitation options
    • Evidence preparation and translation needs
    • Review and appeal routes under local rules
    • Recording grants and unresolved territorial restrictions
    • Integrated refusal response exercise

Certificate

Every delegate who completes the course receives an ARUK Training Certificate of Attendance.

Frequently asked questions

How do I register?

Choose a date and city in the schedule and press Register, or send us an enquiry. Our team confirms your place and sends an invoice.

Are fees shown with VAT?

Fees are shown per delegate and exclude VAT, which is added to the invoice where applicable.

Can this course be delivered for our team only?

Yes. Any ARUK course can be delivered in-house at your premises, in a meeting room we book for you, or 1-to-1.

Is this course available online?

Yes. We run it live online with a trainer, on dates that suit your team, for £1,850 + VAT per delegate.

Is there a group discount?

Yes. 20% for 2 delegates, 35% for 3 delegates and 50% for 5 or more delegates on the same course.

Can the course be delivered in Arabic or another language?

Yes. Our courses can be delivered in English, Arabic or any European language, by a trainer who teaches in that language. Mention your preferred language when you register or enquire.

What certificate will I receive?

An ARUK Training Certificate of Attendance.

Related courses

Register

Trademark Examination, Classification and Managing Provisional Refusals

Key booking terms (read before you register)
  • The full fee is paid in advance, before the course starts.
  • Cancel in writing 30 or more days before the start date (45 for in-house) for a refund. Later than that, the full fee is payable.
  • No refund for non-attendance or partial attendance.
  • Places are for the named delegate only; another person cannot attend instead.
  • Moving to another date or city is only possible if ARUK agrees in writing.
  • Travel, accommodation and visas are your responsibility. A refused visa does not change the cancellation terms.

booking terms and conditions

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Trademark Examination, Classification and Managing Provisional Refusals