PATENTS REGULATIONS 1991 - REG 20.44 Penalties -- professional misconduct

PATENTS REGULATIONS 1991 - REG 20.44

  (1)   Subject to subregulation   (2), if a Panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal finds a registered patent attorney guilty of professional misconduct, it may:

  (a)   cancel the attorney's registration as a patent attorney; or

  (b)   suspend the attorney's registration as a patent attorney for a period of between 6 and 12 months.

  (2)   The Panel may, in addition to cancelling or suspending a registered patent attorney's registration under subregulation   (1), impose conditions on the attorney's return to the Register of Patent Attorneys after the cancellation has been lifted or the period of suspension has elapsed.

  (3)   Without limiting subregulation   (2), the conditions that the Panel may impose include either or both of the following:

  (a)   that the attorney undertake additional continuing professional education, as specified by the Panel ;

  (b)   that the attorney work for a period of time, not exceeding 2 years, under the supervision of a person who has been a registered patent attorney for a period not less than 5 years.

  (4)   If a registered patent attorney is also a registered trade marks attorney, the Panel may also cancel or suspend the attorney's registration as a trade marks attorney.