Association of Practitioners of the Law and Trademarks and Designs
APRAM is the abbreviation for Association des Praticiens du Droit des Marques et des Modèles or the Association of Practitioners of the Law and Trademarks and Designs.[1] It is a non-governmental organization established in the year 1978, actively involved in informing industry professionals, members, and IP agents about necessary and relevant Intellectual Property (IP) issues. It works towards promoting the interests of its members in front of the European institutions.[2] It is an international association comprising of experts from the Industrial and Intellectual Property.[1]
Although primarily consisting of French members, APRAM also has international members. It is a dynamic association, which mostly disseminates its information in the form of its meetings, official interventions, committees and international interventions.
It is composed of three families, which includes lawyers, corporate lawyers and Intellectual Property Attorneys, which give strength to the association, creating transparency while addressing all the issues that are beneficial for its members.
History
APRAM was born out of the wishes of France's Intellectual Property professionals for an organization to address their concerns and act as an interlocutor with organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), INPI, and EC, as well as to establish fraternal relations with associations such as the French AFPPI and CNCPI, and foreign ones such as the ITMA, INTA, BMM, and ECTA.
1980-2000
In the year 1982, APRAM took an initiative and organized a meeting in Paris to bring together all the leaders and APRAM associations to advise industrialists, liberals and lawyers. After this point, consistent meetings were held, which helped in the tying of APRAM with other foreign associations as they discussed various issues concerning the professionals. In the year 1998, APRAM celebrated its 20th Anniversary in the Museum of Carnival Arts among its members and usual contacts.
2000-Present
By the year 2000, APRAM was turning the Internet efficiently and profitably. In the year 2008, which marked the 30th anniversary of APRAM, it organized an evening in Cigale to put forward some of its best talent. APRAM is still working in organizing the comprehensive information of its members by acting as interlocutor and addressing the issues of its members by communicating them with concerned agencies. [3]
Administration
The Board of Directors of APRAM comprises of 21 members, who are divided equally among three groups: Jurists Office of Industrial Property, lawyers, and corporate lawyers. The terms of these members lasts for three years and is renewable once. Out of these 21, seven members are a part of the Bureau. One important thing to note about APRAM is the outgoing President of the Bureau can participate in the meetings of the Bureau for two years even after the end of his tenure as President.[4]