Intellectual Property Law examines the legal protections available for new ideas and new products. This is one area where the law is constantly responding to technological developments. Everyone one of us uses some form of intellectual property every day, and it operates at different levels and in different ways. One example of this is the secret ingredient in Coca Cola; and the multi-billion pound trademark associated with it. Coca Cola pay the inventor of the ring pull a significant amount each day to use ring pulls on their cans. Cadbury is another example of this, as is Microsoft. The list is endless, but each of these is an example of intellectual property law at work. This module will consider examples such as Coca Cola, Apple and Cadburys as the law of copyright, patent and trademark is considered. The module will cover a wide range of topics including:
The national and international frameworks of intellectual properties
EU competition law and policy and its relationship with intellectual property
Copyright; categories of works, criteria for protection, authorship & originality, moral & economic rights, infringement & defences, remedies, digital copyright (databases, internet and software) and international copyright (TRIPS, WIPO etc)
Trademarks; registered trademarks, international and community registration & requirements, rights & infringement, unregistered trademarks & passing off
Patents; scope & objectives, novelty & ‘the inventive step,’ infringement & EU initiatives and biotechnology.
Contemporary Issues in IP; patent, copyright and trademark current issues & reform
Hot topics; file-sharing, privacy, cybercrime and online gaming.Students will also gain knowledge of the main legislative instruments at both a national and international level, and develop familiarity with the major cases in these areas.
Trademarks; registered trademarks, international and community registration & requirements, rights & infringement, unregistered trademarks & passing off
Patents; scope & objectives, novelty & ‘the inventive step,’ infringement & EU initiatives and biotechnology.
Contemporary Issues in IP; patent, copyright and trademark current issues & reform
Hot topics; file-sharing, privacy, cybercrime and online gaming.
Students will also gain knowledge of the main legislative instruments at both a national and international level, and develop familiarity with the major cases in these areas.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of the core elements of copyright, trademarks and other IP subject matters in intellectual property law.
Show understanding of national and international legal frameworks within which intellectual property law generally operates.
Show understanding of the exploitation of intellectual property rights and their importance.
Demonstrate an appreciation of which intellectual property right may be best suited to protecting particular products or properties.
Show understanding of the emerging issues such as geographical indications law in a global context.
Explain the differences between each of the main intellectual properties.
Explain the different requirements and rights that accrue under each of the intellectual properties covered in the module content.
Assessment
25049-01 : Essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessments: 6,000 word essay Reassessment: 6,000 word essay
