UCL Intellectual Property Law CPD Courses 2009-10

The aim of this course is to give students an understanding of the application of intellectual property law in the commercial environment, including licensing, joint ventures and franchising.

This course covers:

• Introduction to IP law.  Patents, Trade Marks, Copyright, Designs, Plant varieties, Confidential Information.  Differences between authorship, ownership and the right to exploit.  Commissioned works.  Dealings generally – assignments, different types of licences (sole and exclusive, oral and written, express and implied).  Termination.
• Dealings in Copyrights: Licensing, franchising, merchandising, photos, architects, films, Categories of industry set out in Copinger (?)
• Dealings in Trade Marks: Difference between registered and unregistered rights.  Registered users. Quality Control.  Trusts.  Franchising.  Merchandising.  Right to sue
• Dealings in Patents: Licences and assignments.  Agreements to assign.  Oral and written licences/assignments.  Defining rights.  Compulsory licensing.  International aspects – TRIPS & Doha Declaration.  Right to sue.  Licences of rights.  Registration of assignments/licences.  Assignee/Licensee estoppel.  Patent Pooling.  Standard Setting, Patent ambushes and FRAND.  Crown use.  Employees’ statutory compensation rights.  Dealings in Plant varieties. 
• Dealings in Know How and trade secrets: Nature of the rights, express and implied creation of rights, relative secrecy, licences and assignments.  Oral and written licences/assignments.  Defining rights.  Right to sue.  Employees’ rights.  Restrictions on employees during the post employment.  Unreasonable restraint of trade.  Whistleblowing.
• Dealings in Registered and unregistered designs
• Software licensing, shrink wrap, dealing with software
• IP due diligence in corporate transactions, IP issues in corporate transactions, IP audits.
• The Internet and IP dealings: including domain name disputes, website design/hosting.
• Antitrust and IP dealings: UK, EU and US, EU free movement issues.
• Tax (including Stamp Duty, Corporation Tax and VAT) and IP commercialisation, valuation and securitization.
• Protecting value: Enforcing rights, litigation (interlocutory, full trial, Anton Piller and Mareva), damages and accounts of profits, arbitration (choice of law, choice of forum, enforcement of awards, arbitrable disputes), mediation, ICANN Settlement agreements.

At the end of the course students will be enabled to demonstrate the following:

• A systematic understanding of the various mechanisms for the commercialisation of intellectual property rights, including licencing, joint ventures and franchising.
• A critical awareness of the legal, structural and commercial difficulties arising from the commercialisation of intellectual property rights.
• The ability to critically analyse and interpret the relevant legislation, the case law and legal documentation as well as academic literature in the field.

Taught by Dr Christopher Stothers (UCL), Prof. David Llewelyn (KCL & White & Case LLP), and John Hull (UCL & Eversheds)

When:
Mondays 12-2pm
11 x 2 hours tuition
January - March 2010

TECHNOLOGY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

The aim of this module is to provide students with a detailed understanding of the application of intellectual property laws, particularly patent law, to new technologies, including, biotechnology, multi media platforms, and information and communication technologies.

This course covers:

• Introduction
• Patenting process & strategy
• Novelty
• Inventive Step & Sufficiency
• Patentable subject matter: software & business method inventions; biotechnological & medical inventions
• Patent infrinfement: construction; infringement acts & exceptions
• Enforcement, litigation & Licensing
• Confidential Information

By the end of this course student will be enabled to demonstrate the following:

• A detailed understanding of the application of intellectual property laws to emerging technologies.
• A critical awareness of the problems raised by emerging technologies for intellectual property law, and potential solutions.
• The ability to critically analyse and interpret all relevant legislation, the relevant case law of the UK courts and the European Court of Justice, and academic literature in the field.

Taught by Daniel Alexander QC (UCL), Dr Matt Fisher (UCL), and Dr Tanya Aplin (KCL)

When:
Thursdays: 5-7pm
11 x 2 hours tuition
January 2010 - March 2010