My third tutoring season (EQE 2024)
EQE 2024 and my third EQE tutoring season has ended. It is an accident that I am (again) posting this summary almost exactly one year after last year’s summary (My second tutoring season). It is now officially confirmed that I need about 1 month to recover after the EQEs. 😅 (For those less familiar with these exams, the 5 exams took place between 5-15 March 2024.)
Too long to read? I made this visual summary for you then.
General thoughts
As you can see from the statistics, tutoring has already grown to a full-time job. After realising how much time is needed for organisation, administration and preparing for each meeting, last year I limited my focus to Paper D and I stuck with this decision this year too. Paper D is the most important but also the most difficult exam, and due to the huge amount of material, candidates have to study for Paper D the most. Well prepared candidates start studying in September (some even start refreshing during summer). For these reasons, it is really helpful to have a colleague, tutor, study group, or any kind of support group that you can rely on during these months. Weirdly enough, I feel the most comfortable with Paper D and that is also the exam I got the highest marks for (86 marks, 80 marks without compensation). So, it made sense to offer weekly Paper D1 and bi-weekly Paper D2 study groups similar to the previous year.
In this general part I would also like to note that I have the impression that the EQE has become a lot more unpredictable in the recent years. Unfortunately, luck has become a big part in passing the main exams (what is happening with Paper B?!). If you add the stress of the technical issues (more candidates reported technical issues than last year), I think that the frustration of the candidates is completely understandable.
Full list of events and study groups I organised
When it comes to Paper D, there are no magic tricks. I am pretty honest about this already in the first meetings. In order to pass Paper D, what candidates need is regular study time and answering many legal questions. So, this is what the goal of my study groups is: meeting regularly, on a weekly basis for 4, 5 or 6 months and giving homework (legal questions) to do between our meetings. For many candidates (especially those who would like to avoid last-minute stress) this guided, structured Paper D preparation works really well. A long preparation helps deal with the overwhelming syllabus, because we are only dealing with 1-2 topics each week. In addition, the group and the weekly meetings give motivation to keep studying every week.
With the help of a reasonable amount of coffee and chocolate I managed to organise a lot of different meetings.
Pre-exam study group - legal part
We discussed more than 120 legal questions using the DeltaPatents L book, one claims analysis exercise during the winter break plus the legal parts of 10 previous pre-exams (100 more legal questions) together. With this group of hard working and very smart candidates we had 22 meetings on Thursday evenings (18-19:45 CET), weekly, starting from October 2023.
Three 24-week D1 study groups
These are the most popular study groups, also my favourite. You know I don’t have a high self-confidence, but I really think the study plan I created for this course is really amazing, candidates love it.
The original plan was to provide two long D1 study groups, but they got fully booked very quickly, so I decided to offer a third one (which was also fully booked in summer).
With the 3 groups, we discussed more than 110 legal questions using the DeltaPatents D book, plus 9 previous D1 exams together (circa 50 more legal questions) and had 24 meetings on Saturdays (on Fridays with the third group), starting from the beginning of September. The meetings were almost 2 hours long. The study plan included a long winter break as well, which was a great idea.
What was new this year was that all D1 study group members got a free copy of Ignacio Lobato’s D-Guide (thank you, Ignacio!), which proved to be a very helpful tool both during the preparation and the exam.
15-week D1 study group
We discussed more than 100 legal questions and 2 previous D1 exams together and had 15 meetings on Saturdays, starting from mid-November.
This course is similar to the long D1 study groups but is shorter, hence we only have time to discuss 2 previous D1 exams. The schedule of this course suits candidates who also have national patent attorney exams in autumn before the EQEs.
15-week D1 study group with Ignacio Lobato
Another 15-week D1 study group with the same study plan as mine, but with another tutor.
This was my first collaboration with Ignacio Lobato, and the first time another tutor had his own weekly study group through Fillun. Ignacio passed the EQEs in 2022 and since then, he has been publishing his EQE guides that candidates love.
The goal (providing motivation, support, kindness, accountability, regular meetings), the study plan and the schedule was the same for the two 15-week D1 study groups, but it was completely up to Ignacio how he held the meetings. Based on the feedback I received during and after the course, he did very well, candidates loved his enthusiasm and support during these months. I hope we can continue our collaboration next year!
Three D2 study groups (Oct-Nov, Dec, Jan-Feb)
I love Paper D2! To pass Paper D2, candidates need to have a good legal knowledge, but also a methodology and enough D2 practice.
This year, I organised two long D2 study groups with meetings on Sundays (Oct-Nov and Jan-Feb). With both groups, we had 4 meetings, between 10-16:30 on Sundays. During each meeting we discussed and answered a previous D2 exam together, step by step. I picked the exams so that with every group we discussed a few old and a few new exams.
It is highly recommended not to leave D2 preparation for January. Candidates who joined the first D2 study group (October-November) were really happy with their decision!
In December, I also offered a short D2 study group. With this group, we discussed 2 old D2 exams on Wednesday evenings (17:00-22:00).
Paper C study group
Every year I try to do something new so that I have to step out of my comfort zone (and don’t get bored with doing the same things :)). Since candidates have been loving my Paper C methodology I designed when taking the first online Paper C in 2021, I decided to organise a Paper C study group where we discuss 3 different old Paper C exams, using my methodology.
Doing a Paper C can take up to 8-10 hours to finish when practicing, so you can imagine how long it takes when we are discussing every step with a group. We spent about 9 hours with each exam (Sundays 10-16:00 and the following Monday evening 18-21:00), but unfortunately we couldn’t finish the entire papers during the meetings. This is not necessarily a bad thing (every exam includes multiple novelty and inventive step attacks, so it is enough to discuss a couple of them), but I will definitely think about this course and decide if I will continue or not.
Mock D1 exam
Two weeks before Paper D I offered a Mock D1 exam to help candidates practice under time pressure. Today's date, the distribution of the questions and marks, length of break was the same as in Paper D 2024 to make the Mock exam as helpful and close to the real exam as possible.
A new Mock D1 exam was something I was already thinking about creating last year, but I didn’t have time. Finally, I managed to do it this year. I really enjoyed it, but to be honest, it was quite a long and overwhelming process to draft exam questions and answers as I really didn’t want to confuse candidates shortly before the exam. So, I even paid another tutor to answer all questions to make sure there are no unclear statements and incorrect answers.
Two PCT courses (tutor: Pete Pollard)
This was the second year I got to collaborate with Pete Pollard, who has about 15 years of experience in tutoring and an extensive PCT knowledge. I organised two PCT courses which took place on weekday evenings so that candidates could attend outside work hours. Both courses included about 10 hours of PCT related training for Pre-exam and EQE candidates.
Thank you Pete for sharing your knowledge with candidates, I hope we can collaborate next year too!
Paper C study group (tutor: Riccardo Bellingacci)
This was the second year I got to collaborate with Riccardo Bellingacci. He passed the first online Paper C in 2021 on first try, using a different methodology than me. He offered 3 meetings for his group in January: a methodology session and then two full Sundays for discussing two different Paper C exams.
Thank you Rick for your positive attitude and friendly approach towards candidates, I hope we can collaborate next year too!
Online Last-minute PCT refresher for CIPA Informals
This presentation was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I am so glad I was asked and that I was able to provide this refresher for candidates.
More than 150 candidates attended this free, one-hour long PCT refresher in real-time, and probably even more watched it later as unfortunately CIPA’s website with the link was not working when the meeting started…
Q&A session about main exam preparation
About 60 candidates attended my free presentation and Q&A about main exam preparation in June 2023.Unitary patent related presentation and quiz
I offered a Unitary patent related presentation for my Pre-exam, 15-week and 24-week D1 study groups. I even drafted 10 legal questions for them to help practice this new topic.
This presentation proved to be invaluable, most of the candidates printed my summary and used it to answer the Paper D1 question during the EQE.
Q&A session about D2 preparation
I offered a Paper D2 related Q&A meeting for my 24-week D1 study groups.
Altogether, I held about 130 meetings in 6 months which was more than 310 hours spent in Zoom. The preparation for the meetings used to be the double of that number, but it got shorter this year. But, it was still a lot. I really have to think hard what I will have to say No to next year. That is the only reason why I need 1-2 months to figure out next year’s schedule. 😀 What I was doing these months is (unfortunately) not maintainable. There were a few weeks when I tutored while being ill and barely having a voice. That was not fun!
Some further statistics
The 310 hours spent in Zoom (see above) were distributed to 130 meetings which meant 5.4 meetings/week in average.
I personally tutored about 50 candidates on a weekly basis (in 5 groups), and even more if we add the other (not weekly) study groups. Not that quantity equals quality, but I am happy and proud that I got to support so many people!
My weekly study group members came from 13 different countries (UK, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Austria and Poland).
I managed to post regularly on LinkedIn, about 12 times on my EQE blog, share some new printable materials and create the EQE 2024 calendar. One of the most popular posts was informing pregnant candidates about the optional breaks allowed during the exam (if requested in advance). It made me sad, as I wish the EPO informed the candidates about this. In my opinion, this and similar, important information should be available on the EPO’s website.
Daily visits on my EQE blog were between 500-1000 in average, most visitors (and by the way, most LinkedIn followers) are from Germany. (I am not using any cookies or special analytics tool, but if I understand correctly, this does not mean individual visitors. To be honest, I have never cared about these numbers, so I have very little idea what they mean. I check the built-in analytics tool once per year, when I write this summary).
3 donations received via my EQE blog. Thank you!
And the most important statistics: I travelled to 6 different countries while tutoring. 😃
Daily website visits between 1 Jan and 17 March
Pre-exam, D1 and D2 study groups
I feel that the weekly study groups truly offer a lot of value. However, it also requires a lot of study time from the candidates. Meeting every single week with the same group of candidates and following our study plan provides consistency, accountability, a bit of group pressure and motivation to keep studying for many months continuously.
As already mentioned above, I am especially proud of the study plan of the 24-week D1 group I created, it worked out really well. We went through all legal topics, starting with PCT, between September-December. During this first period, there was no need to practice under time pressure. Then, in January, we started discussing previous D1 exams. We discussed 9 previous D1 exams between January-March. From January, I recommended that candidates answer these D1 questions under time pressure, or at least be mindful about the time available for each question.
Candidates in my study groups came from prestigious offices and companies such as the EPO, Grünecker, Maiwald, Roche, Finnegan, Abel+Imray, Simmons & Simmons, Clarke Modet, Appleyard Lees, Kuhnen & Wacker, Keltie LLP, Laine IP, Onsagers, P&TS, Betten & Resch, Pirelli, Knauf, tesa and Japan Tobacco International.
I am not sure how I got this lucky, but the candidates I got to work with were (again) all extremely smart and kind! Our meetings were really enjoyable.
This was the second year I also created a LinkedIn group for the D1 study group members, giving them opportunity to network and create smaller study groups outside of the meetings as well. A few people were quite active and organised additional meetings (also for Paper A and B) for themselves to study together and motivate each other. I also know that after my October-November D2 study group and Paper C study group ended, 5-6 candidates exchanged contacts to keep studying together on weekends, using the same methodology. This is amazing, because a bit of outside pressure or a scheduled meeting can candidates help stay on track!
Not all companies support their candidates financially unfortunately. That is the reason why the meetings I organise are outside of work hours. I also provide -20% of all fees if the employer is not supporting the candidate financially. I will try to keep doing this in the future as well.
Undeniably, there are great courses out there from well known EQE tutoring companies, some of them I also attended. I especially like the quality, support and useful materials DeltaPatents offers to candidates. We also used the DeltaPatents books with my Pre-exam and D1 study groups and many of my candidates also attended DeltaPatents courses. My study groups complement these few-day-long courses pretty well.
On the other hand, none of the EQE courses provide continuous support for 3-4 or even 6 months. Seeing the feedbacks from candidates, I can say that this continuous support is really beneficial.
I mean, what is better feedback than Pre-exam study group members already signing up for the Paper D groups?! 🥹
A few feedbacks from D1 study group members:
"Zsofia's D1 study group was the best EQE preparation that I experienced. The study group is well-structured and she is excellent at explaining the relevant legal background of EPC and PCT." Susanne
“The D1 study group has a very precise study plan and Zsofia is a great tutor, explaining in a very calm and clear manner the topics and our doubts. The study group kept me motivated to study over the months. Thank you Zsofia!" Maria C.
“Zsofia’s course was perfect for my needs. I think the 6-month format with regular sessions so that most of the information is drip-fed to you works very well if you have commitments outside of work. I found it a good way to manage the syllabus which can get overwhelming if you cannot spend time studying in the evenings after work and every weekend in the last few months (because you have small kids, for example!). Zsofia is also very helpful in answering any queries you may have afterwards.” Ash
“Zsofia’s course really helped me to stay on track with my studies. The preparation period is intense so it is very helpful to discuss different topics in detail, get answers to things you don’t understand and see your peers each week. The atmosphere at the course is very supportive and positive.” Tiia
“Zsofia is an absolutely brilliant tutor! I am so glad I joined her D1 Study Group (best decision I could have made!). Her course covers all the relevant topics (and more) and she is constantly supporting and motivating you along the way.” Krysten
“Joining Zsofia's group was a game changer for me. What stands out is how detailed and clear the material is, making tough concepts easier to grasp. The course runs every week from September, offering a comprehensive and well-paced preparation that's just right for paper D1. She is there for constant support and resources, even out of the scope of the course, such as the Unitary Patent this year, which really made a difference. I appreciate the long-term approach, which was beneficial for a thorough understanding. Definitely recommend it for its effective preparation and friendly teaching approach.”
“The group sessions and Zsofia's guidance have been pivotal in making the study process manageable and effective, allowing me to cover all topics at least once thoroughly. Zsofia's adept selection of study material and her supportive nature in clarifying doubts are particularly appreciated. A heartfelt thank you to Zsofia for her calm, patient, and organized approach.” Christian
e-EQE methodology recordings
Candidates could still purchase the recordings of my e-EQE methodology sessions from 2022. I was thinking of re-recording all of them, as the quality of the videos is not the best. However, in 2022 my memory was a lot more fresh regarding how I used WISEflow during the actual exam. Anyway, I will see if I have time this summer to make even better videos for you.
The feedback I get from candidates purchasing these videos is still very positive, that is why I kept them in the EQE webshop. These 3-4 hour long videos are really practical and show every step of tackling a main exam using a WISEflow compatible methodology.
EQE Advent calendar
Ohh, I almost forgot my Advent calendar. This was the third year that I posted daily Paper D tips and random legal facts on LinkedIn in December. Not as fun as chocolate, but the daily posts seemed to be appreciated.
I also posted the 24 summaries as a separate EQE blog post. (2021 Advent calendar is here, 2022 Advent calendar is here, 2023 Advent calendar is here.)
What next?
These upcoming few months I am enjoying my Zoom-free life, hobbies, patent work, updating my old EQE blog posts (seems to be an overwhelming project) and of course, finalising the schedule of the study groups for EQE 2025.
Hopefully, I can send out regular Newsletters from now on (after 3 years, I am finally starting one). I also plan to draft my own coffee-break questions that I can share in the Newsletters so that the subscribers can learn something and not just hear about my study groups.
I am also organising a Meetup in Munich, and hope to see you there! Even though I love online meetings, meetings in person are also invaluable. I think these Meetups will help candidates build professional relationships, make new friends, form EQE study groups, etc.
So, many exciting plans!
Summary
Thank you everyone who trusted me and joined my study groups!
If anyone is interested in joining any of my study groups next year, you can finally subscribe to my Newsletter (scroll down to the footer) to be the first to know about the schedule.
A huge thanks to tutors for helping me out with more difficult legal questions, especially Roel van Woudenberg.
If you read my EQE blog during these last 6 months, please let me know if you have any feedback or comments.