Why Technical Teams Need IP Training
Engineers make daily decisions that affect company intellectual property: which dependencies to include, how to document innovations, what to share on GitHub. Without proper training, these decisions can create legal vulnerabilities or waste protection opportunities. Our workshop bridges the gap between technology and law.
- Taught by technically-trained lawyers — We speak your language
- Real-world case studies — Based on tech company scenarios
- 1-day format — Minimal disruption, maximum impact
- Adaptable material — Customised to your company's stack and sector
- Certificate of attendance — Training documentation for compliance
- Post-workshop follow-up — Q&A session at 4 weeks
What the IP Workshop for Engineers Covers
The programme is designed for software development, data engineering, and machine learning teams. We cover the legal fundamentals every engineer should know, with practical examples and interactive exercises:
- Code protection — Copyright, registration, source code deposit, and authorship documentation
- Software patents — What is patentable, how to document inventions, and the application process
- Open source compliance — Licence management, GPL/AGPL risks, and dependency policies
- Trade secrets — What to protect, how to protect it, and confidentiality obligations
- Code ownership — Contracts, rights assignment, and code generated outside working hours
Each module includes hands-on exercises with real code scenarios.
Workshop Agenda: IP for Engineers
Morning (9:00 - 13:30)
9:00 - 10:30 | IP Fundamentals for Software
- Copyright on code: what is protected and what is not
- Registration and source code deposit
- Authorship documentation and creation date
- Exercise: Analyse the protection of a real project
10:45 - 12:15 | Software Patents
- Which software innovations are patentable?
- The concept of “technical effect” in Europe
- How to document an invention for your legal team
- Exercise: Identify patentable innovations in case studies
12:30 - 13:30 | Open Source Compliance
- Licence map: permissive vs copyleft
- Concrete risks: GPL, AGPL, and contamination
- Dependency auditing tools
- Exercise: Audit the dependencies of a sample project
Afternoon (15:00 - 18:00)
15:00 - 16:00 | Trade Secrets
- What constitutes a trade secret in tech
- Technical and organisational protection measures
- Confidentiality obligations when changing companies
- Exercise: Design a protection protocol
16:15 - 17:00 | Ownership and Contracts
- Who owns the code? Rules and exceptions
- Personal projects vs work: the grey area
- Key clauses in tech contracts
- Exercise: Review clauses in a standard contract
17:00 - 18:00 | Integrating Workshop + Q&A
- Comprehensive case study combining all modules
- Open question session
- Next steps and resources
Complementary Services
- Intellectual Property — Comprehensive asset protection
- Software Protection — Complete strategy for your code
- AI & Data Regulation — AI Act and GDPR compliance
- Corporate Training — Full training programmes