"Practice before the IP Tribunal: Distinctiveness in Trademarks?"

CPD (Continuing Professional Development)

Resource Person:
Mrs. Sharmilla Bhima, Chairperson of the IP Tribunal

Mrs. Sharmilla Bhima read Law at the University of Reading, UK and attended the BPP Law School for the Bar Vocational Course. She undertook her pupillage at Thomas More Chambers, London, UK and was called to the English Bar at the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in July 1998. She was also called to the Mauritian Bar in September 1999. She has specialised in international arbitration with Queen Mary University of London and the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

Mrs. Sharmilla Bhima  is also a Partner within both the Corporate and Dispute Resolution departments in Mauritius. Prior to joining the firm in August 2007, she was a practising barrister in general private practice with extensive exposure to both the offshore commercial and litigation fields.

Sharmilla is a Fellow of the Mauritius Institute of Directors. She is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, UK and currently serves as the Vice President of the Alumni branch of Lincoln’s Inn in Mauritius. She is a member of the Mauritius Bar Association and served as a co-opted member of the Mauritius Bar Council in 2007-2008. She has been actively involved in community service and helped with the launch of the Appleby Legal Education Scholarship in Mauritius and served as the President of The English-Speaking Union (Mauritius) from 2009 to 2011.

Course Synopsis:
The course will provide (i) an overview of the jurisdiction of the Industrial Property Tribunal including its powers and (ii) an analysis of the issue of the concept ‘distinctiveness’ which lies at the heart of a mark (whether a trade mark, word mark or any other type of mark protected under our laws).

Experience Level:

All

Group:

Law Practitioners & Legal Officers