The U.S. Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of International Law and the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, announces the launch of the International Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Advisory Program. This program allows American small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to request a free, one-hour consultation with a volunteer attorney knowledgeable in both industry IPR issues and a particular country to learn how to protect and enforce their IPR, such as trademarks, patents, or copyrights, in that country. Expertise is now available for Angola, Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.

The International IPR Advisory Program seeks to:

• Help American businesses understand the steps they must take to develop an intellectual property protection strategy for a foreign market;
• Help U.S. companies facing IPR disputes abroad pursue resolution to their problems; and
• Reinforce the message that it is essential for U.S. companies to take action to protect and enforce their IPR in accordance with foreign civil, administrative, and criminal laws, and that failing to act can have devastating consequences for future business.

To request a free consultation with a volunteer attorney or obtain additional information regarding this program, visit the ABA Section of International Law web site: www.abanet.org/intlaw/intlproj/iprprogram.html

China Intellectual Property Rights Advisory Program

Like the International IPR Advisory Program, the sister China IPR Advisory Program provides free expert guidance to U.S. SMEs on IPR, but is limited to the Chinese market. For information on China-specific IPR consultations, please visit http://www.stopfakes.gov/sme_china_ipr.asp