{"id":14423,"date":"2023-05-03T21:25:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T21:25:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cpatacabamcdev.wpengine.com\/?page_id=14423"},"modified":"2023-05-03T21:25:35","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T21:25:35","slug":"rule-1-competence-technical-competencies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cpata-cabamc.ca\/en\/your-practice\/professional-conduct\/ethical-analyses-and-guidance-old\/rule-1-competence-technical-competencies\/","title":{"rendered":"Rule 1 \u2013 Competence \u2013 Technical Competencies"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The following is an overview of <\/span>both <\/span>a licensee\u2019s obligations to <\/span>provide<\/span> competent services and CPATA\u2019s new <\/span>T<\/span>echnical <\/span>C<\/span>ompetency <\/span>P<\/span>rofiles.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Scenario <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Code of Professional Conduct (the Code) provides that licensees owe their clients a duty to be competent in their service delivery.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

On March 2, 2023, CPATA\u2019s Board of Directors adopted Technical Competency Profiles for Patent Agents and Trademark Agents. While the Technical Competency Profiles do not create any new ethical obligations for licensees vis-\u00e0-vis their clients, the Technical Competency Profiles are designed to set out clear expectations for practitioners about what skills are necessary to provide competent services to clients. In other words, the Technical Competency Profiles are a helpful reference point for licensees with respect to the basic competencies expected of a competent agent.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Rules <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Code sets out as its Fundamental Canon that<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Irrespective of the possibility of formal sanction under any of the rules in this Code, an agent must <\/span>at all times<\/span> conduct themselves with integrity and competence <\/span>in accordance with<\/span> the highest standards of the profession <\/span>in order to<\/span> retain<\/span> the trust, <\/span>respect<\/span> and confidence of members of the profession and the public.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Principle of Part 1 of the Code, which sets out the rules with respect to <\/span>Competence<\/span>, provides that licensees<\/span> must perform \u201cservices undertaken on a client\u2019s behalf to the standard of a competent agent.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Commentary provides that licensees are, in effect, \u201cheld out as knowledgeable, skilled and capable in the subject matter of their agency<\/span>\u201d<\/span> and clients are \u201c<\/span>entitled to assume that the agent has the ability and capacity to deal adequately with all <\/span>agency<\/span> matters to be undertaken on the client\u2019s behalf<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Rule 1-2 provides that<\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

An agent <\/span>fails to<\/span> meet the standards of professional competence if (a) t<\/span>here are deficiencies in<\/span> (<\/span>i<\/span>) t<\/span>heir knowledge, <\/span>skill<\/span> or judgement<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Rule goes on to state that a deficiency in an agent\u2019s knowledge, skill or judgement \u201cgive[s] rise to a reasonable apprehension that the quality of service they provide to clients may be adversely affected.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Code requires that when a licensee \u201creasonably believes that they may not be competent to handle a particular matter\u2026[they] must (a) decline to act; (b) obtain the client\u2019s consent\u2026to become competent without undue delay, risk or expense to the client; or (c) obtain instructions form the client to retain, consult or collaborate with another agent who is competent to handle the matter\u201d (see Rule 1-1).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Commentary states that \u201cCompetence of an agent is founded upon both ethical and applicable legal principles\u201d and Rule 1-4 provides that an agent has an obligation to stay abreast of developments in the law as it relates to their practice.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

It is important to note, however, that the Competence rule\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

does not require a standard of perfection. <\/span>An error or omission, even though it might be actionable for damages in negligence, professional <\/span>fault<\/span> or contract, will not necessarily constitute a failure to <\/span>maintain<\/span> the standard of professional competence described by the rule<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Technical Competency Profiles <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The <\/span>Technical Competencies<\/span><\/a> are intended to \u201cguide Canadian IP agents in understanding the competencies associated with safe, effective, and sustainable practice\u201d. The Technical Competencies are not intended to be exhaustive or to include every competency that an IP agent might need.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

One of the professional foundations that is currently set out in the Technical Competencies is the ability to act professionally, which includes the ability to recognize the limits of one\u2019s own competence.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Technical Competencies set out foundational concepts that all agents should have \u201centry-to-practice competence in\u201d.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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CPATA\u2019s Guidance \n\n <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A licensee\u2019s ethical obligations under the Code are distinct from but intertwined with the Technical Competency Profiles.\u00a0 The Technical Competencies are intended to help define competence in a manner that guides future regulatory and educational opportunities. Because the Technical Competencies are intended to set out clear expectations for practitioners about what skills are necessary to provide competent services to clients, they may help inform a licensee in their evaluation of whether they have the requisite knowledge to competently assist their client.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Additionally, reviewing the Technical Competencies may assist a licensee in identifying areas they may wish to brush up on. When a licensee is considering their ethical obligations with respect to competence, the Technical Competency Profiles may be a good place to begin with respect to evaluating the basic competencies all agents should have.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Ultimately each licensee has to decide what the correct course of action is that will protect client interests and adhere to their professional obligations. Every circumstance is unique and it is up to the licensee to exercise their own professional judgement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

We invite you to <\/span>contact us with your ethics questions<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Through the Ethics Inquiry process, CPATA\u2019s professional conduct experts are available to help interpret the Code as part of the process of risk-assessment and ethical analysis.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The following is an overview of both a licensee\u2019s obligations to provide competent services and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":6974,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"folder":[],"class_list":["post-14423","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRule 1 \u2013 Competence \u2013 Technical Competencies - 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