This collection of essays highlights the sometimes absurd outcomes which an unjustified overprotection of intellectual property (IP) may lead to. It collects and comments on a series of IP disputes which have taken the notion of IP protection to extremes. From individuals being sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars for sharing a playlist, to sports spectators being arrested for wearing the 'wrong' dresses, passing through granting patents for inventions obtained by misappropriating traditional knowledge, and trademark protection of merely descriptive signs, this book brings together a broad range of examples from across the IP spectrum where protection and enforcement have been used or threatened on unreasonable and/or untenable grounds. The aim of the book is to criticise these excesses precisely because they harm IP; and because they contribute to creating an environment where more and more people are led to 'hate' IP, and view it as a protectionist regime which discourages creativity in innovation and ends up safeguarding the owners of monopolistic rights which restrict trade, competition and people's freedom. This is not, therefore, a book against IP, it is instead a call for change and an attempt to 'save' IP through critiquing its excesses and preventing such a fascinating area of law from continuing to be an easy target for criticism. The book includes a foreword by Jason Mazzone, Albert E Jenner Jr Professor of Law at the University of Illinois, USA.

"An invaluable tool to help you collect the information your attorney needs." --Michael Cragun, Utah State Tax Commissioner An Accessible Guide to Estate Planning With Estate Planning (in Plain English)(R), readers will learn to comprehend the legal jargon and navigate the complex rules involved in preparing one's estate. The authors provide clear information and cite actual cases to help readers approach the process with the confidence and knowledge they need to make the best decisions for their heirs. Chapters discuss important topics such as: Estate plans, wills, and a variety of trusts Guardians, powers of attorney, advance directives, and other essential documents Life insurance Digital assets Gifts Tax considerations Avoiding probate Identifying and caring for estate property Settling business assets Finding a lawyer An invaluable reference for those preparing their estates and for their families, Estate Planning (in Plain English)(R)will enable readers to take the necessary steps to preserve their legacies.

In light of the ever-growing and developing jurisprudence of the Court of Justice and the General Court, and forthcoming substantive and systemic changes to the law, there is a need for a fresh and practical approach to the procedure and case law of trade marks in Europe. Trade Mark Law in Europe is a comprehensive guide to European trade mark law following the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the case law of the General Court. It provides a wide-ranging overview of the trade mark system, including detailed and critical discussion of forthcoming changes, as well as an in-depth look at the life of a trade mark up to enforcement. It considers the conditions for maintaining a registration, the protection and enforcement of trade marks, and the interface between trade mark law and other areas of practice. Finally, it offers detailed and insightful analysis of current developments, challenges, and opportunities. This is complemented by an international and comparative approach which selectively considers the contemporary jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of the United States and general US practice, as well as national jurisprudence in areas not yet covered by the CJEU. Written by highly-regarded authors with considerable expertise across a range of constituencies, Trade Marks in Europe is a timely and important study of this complex and challenging area of law.

In our digital world, data is power. Information hoarding businesses reign supreme, using intimidation, aggression, and force to maintain influence and control. Sarah Lamdan brings us into the unregulated underworld of these "data cartels", demonstrating how the entities mining, commodifying, and selling our data and informational resources perpetuate social inequalities and threaten the democratic sharing of knowledge. Just a few companies dominate most of our critical informational resources. Often self-identifying as "data analytics" or "business solutions" operations, they supply the digital lifeblood that flows through the circulatory system of the internet. With their control over data, they can prevent the free flow of information, masterfully exploiting outdated information and privacy laws and curating online information in a way that amplifies digital racism and targets marginalized communities. They can also distribute private information to predatory entities. Alarmingly, everything they're doing is perfectly legal. In this book, Lamdan contends that privatization and tech exceptionalism have prevented us from creating effective legal regulation. This in turn has allowed oversized information oligopolies to coalesce. In addition to specific legal and market-based solutions, Lamdan calls for treating information like a public good and creating digital infrastructure that supports our democratic ideals.

Open source software licences are based on two fundamental principles: the possibility for users to use the software for any purpose and the possibility to modify and redistribute it without prior authorisation from the initial developer. Some open source software licences, like the General Public Licence (GPL), also impose a corollary obligation on the licensee: to make the source code available to other developers. The idea behind this form of licensing is that when programmers can read, redistribute and modify the source code for a piece of software, the software evolves. A number of legal challenges need to be addressed in order to ensure the most efficient deployment of open content licences in Europe and in the Netherlands, not least because most open source licences originate from the United States. This study gives an overview of the current legal situation regarding the use of open source software licences and investigates how the most commonly used open source software licences measure up to Dutch and European law. How does the distinct production and distribution model of open source licences fit in the current legal framework? Does the current legal environment support the use of open source licences or does it rather impede their use? In this last case, would certain adaptations to the law or to the licence terms be appropriate? By its in-depth analysis and clear conclusions, Unravelling the Myth around Open Source Licences amply contributes to the understanding of this complex field that policy makers, regulators, and academics so crucially require. Taking the provisions of the GNU GPL, the BSD, and the Mozilla Public Licence as examples, it investigates the implications of open source licensing from a private law, copyright law and patent law perspective. It also takes a brief look at the issue of the enforcement of these licences. To facilitate the use and enforcement of open source software licences in Europe, and more particularly in the Netherlands, the authors conclude their study by making a number of recommendations for the adaptation of the licence terms with a view to enhancing their compliance with the legal requirements. Lucie Guibault is Senior Researcher at the University of Amsterdam's Institute for Information Law (IViR). Ot van Daalen is an attorney with the firm of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek in Amsterdam. This is Volume 8 in the Information Technology and Law (IT&Law) Series

This significantly updated second edition of the Research Handbook on Patent Law and Theory provides comprehensive coverage of new research for patent protection in three major jurisdictions: the United States, Europe and Japan. Leading patent scholars and practitioners provide an innovative comparative analysis of fundamental issues such as patentability, examination procedure and the scope of patent protection, with current issues such as patent protection for industry standards, computer software and business methods. Updates to this second edition reflect on the dramatic changes that have taken place in the US Patent System since the first edition, including the American Invents Act that has introduced the first-inventor-to-file policy and post-issuance proceedings to challenge validity. Current topics such as the Unified Patent Court, patent litigation updates reform in the US, design patents and patent inventions in medical science are also addressed. Providing a strong scholarly foundation, as well as useful tips for practitioners to protect their intellectual assets in technologies effectively in the global market, this Research Handbook will be of great interest to legal scholars and students, as well as lawyers and patent attorneys. Contributors include: J.N. Adams, C. Appelt, R.C. Dreyfuss, H. Goddar, H.P. Goeetting, O. Granstrand, S. Hetmank, C.M. Ho, C.M. Holman, C. Karl, J.B. Krauss, A.L. Landers, S. Luginbuehl, T. Miyamoto, T. Muller-Stoy, X.T. Nguyen, S. Ono, C. Rademacher, G. Reilly, S. Schohe, D. Stauder, T. Takenaka, J. Thomas

Although the commercial activity of merchandising - the use of names or images or other representative elements to enhance the promotion or sale of products or services - has been known for over a century, it is only since the latter years of the 20th century that it has been significant enough to merit treatment as a distinct subject of intellectual property law. Yet, to date, no specific law governing merchandising exists in any country. This book asks if such a law should exist-specifically, a uniform law at the international level. The book focuses on the legal strategy and monitoring of merchandising campaigns of a cross-border nature in 17 European countries. Drawing on the local expertise of contributing authors from each country, it presents a detailed comparative analysis of the manifold legal issues related to merchandising practices. These include the following: the inadequacy of trade mark licenses to encompass the "affinity" motive of the purchaser of merchandising; the overlapping rights of a manufacturer and a merchandiser in the same product; deficiencies in unfair competition law concerning merchandising; the question of whether merchandising symbols could be registered in a manner analogous to (but distinct from) trade marks; the question of whether copyright law may be extended to protect the merchandising use of a copyrighted or copyrightable element; the ownership of merchandising rights; and the question of whether a merchandising right can persist after the protection of the symbol itself has lapsed. "Character Merchandising in Europe" marshals evidence that merchandising law, although it can hardly be said to exist as such, is nonetheless implied in an extensive body of pronouncements from the various fields of intellectual property law. This perception is supported by the first judicial decision on the protection of merchandising activities, recently rendered by the European Court of Justice and supplied in full text as an annexe to this volume.

There is a growing body of scholarship analysing the many international organizations, government agencies and civil society groups whose activities define the relationship between human rights and intellectual property. This timely and engaging volume illustrates the richness and diversity of this literature. It explores the wider historical and institutional context of these topics; the meaning of key international instruments; writings that clarify ambiguous legal norms; works that advocate the recognition of new legal norms; institutional and strategic issues and critical or cautionary perspectives. Including an original introduction by Professor Helfer, a leading scholar in the field, this is a must-have volume that will be of use to lawyers, judges, legal scholars and researchers interested in the areas of intellectual property and human rights and their intersection.

This book evaluates the risks that China's intellectual property (IP) regime poses to innovation. China's IP regime has been heavily criticized as potentially stifling innovation. However, the country's innovation capabilities have risen significantly and major reforms have recently been made to its IP regime. How risky, really, is China's IP regime for innovation? This book investigates this question at different units of analysis based on a multidisciplinary assessment involving law, management, economics, and political science. Specifically, it critically appraises China's substantive IP laws, measures for boosting patent quantity and quality, measures for transmitting and exploiting technological knowledge, new experimental IP measures, and China's systems for administering and enforcing IP. Practitioners and scholars from various backgrounds can benefit from the up-to-date analysis as well as the practical managerial tools provided, including risk assessment matrices for businesses and recommendations for institutional reform.

Democracy of Sound is the first book to examine music piracy in the United States from the dawn of sound recording to the rise of Napster and online file-sharing. It asks why Americans stopped thinking of copyright as a monopoly-a kind of necessary evil-and came to see intellectual property as sacrosanct and necessary for the prosperity of an "information economy." Recordings only became eligible for federal copyright in 1972, following years of struggle between pirates, musicians, songwriters, broadcasters, and record companies over the right to own sound. Beginning in the 1890s, the book follows the competing visions of Americans who proposed ways to keep obscure and noncommercial music in circulation, preserve out-of-print recordings from extinction, or simply make records more freely and cheaply available. Genteel jazz collectors swapped and copied rare records in the 1930s; radicals pitched piracy as a mortal threat to capitalism in the 1960s, while hip-hop DJs from the 1970s onwards reused and transformed sounds to create a freer and less regulated market for mixtapes. Each challenged the idea that sound could be owned by anyone. The conflict led to the contemporary stalemate between those who believe that "information wants to be free" and those who insist that economic prosperity depends on protecting intellectual property. The saga of piracy also shows how the dubbers, bootleggers, and tape traders forged new social networks that ultimately gave rise to the social media of the twenty first century. Democracy of Sound is a colorful story of people making law, resisting law, and imagining how law might shape the future of music, from the Victrola and pianola to iTunes and BitTorrent.

When first written into the Constitution, intellectual property aimed to facilitate "progress of science and the useful arts" by granting rights to authors and inventors. Today, when rapid technological evolution accompanies growing wealth inequality and political and social divisiveness, the constitutional goal of "progress" may pertain to more basic, human values, redirecting IP's emphasis to the commonweal instead of private interests. Against Progress considers contemporary debates about intellectual property law as concerning the relationship between the constitutional mandate of progress and fundamental values, such as equality, privacy, and distributive justice, that are increasingly challenged in today's internet age. Following a legal analysis of various intellectual property court cases, Jessica Silbey examines the experiences of everyday creators and innovators navigating ownership, sharing, and sustainability within the internet eco-system and current IP laws. Crucially, the book encourages refiguring the substance of "progress" and the function of intellectual property in terms that demonstrate the urgency of art and science to social justice today.

With an acceleration in the last decades, the language of property, piracy and theft has become mainstream in copyright matters. Scholars have argued that this latent propertization has progressively led to the undue expansion of copyright and an enclosure of knowledge, causing clashes with users' fundamental rights and EU social and cultural policies. Challenging the validity of such critiques, Propertizing European Copyright demonstrates that these distortive effects are only the result of mishandled property rhetoric and that a commitment to copyright propertization could enable a more internally consistent and balanced development of EU copyright law. To prove the point, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of causes and effects of propertization in copyright history, comparing the impact of private and constitutional property doctrines in selected national experiences with the unsystematic propertization of EU copyright. The author argues for a systemization of EU copyright law, and provides practical examples of how propertization could help tackling the pitfalls of the harmonization process, achieving a greater interpretative coherence and a more stable copyright balance. Academics and policy makers engaged in the debate on EU copyright harmonization will find the multidisciplinary approach employed in this work compelling. Judges, practitioners and graduate students interested in deepening their knowledge of the construction of EU copyright will also find in this book an all-encompassing resource, rich in practical and theoretical insight.

This Research Handbook explores contemporary intangible cultural heritage (ICH) from the perspectives of both law and heritage. It questions, probes and interrogates many different aspects of contemporary ICH, including the definitions and legal frameworks designed to safeguard it. In doing so the Research Handbook highlights not only gaps and inconsistencies, but also questions the relevance, of the legal framework as it applies to ICH itself. Each chapter is concerned with a different aspect of contemporary ICH, international treaties and the law, including the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. A diverse range of contemporary examples are explored, ranging from the local and global identity of migrant children, to language and the Berlin techno music scene. Taken collectively, and with its focus on ?'contemporary?' culture, this Handbook is a departure from the established discourse that tends to include some forms of heritage to the exclusion of others. The authors challenge the authority of existing legal instruments, expose their limitations and propose innovative ways in which contemporary forms of ICH can be safeguarded, whether via the law or other means. This innovative Handbook will be of great interest to academics researching the legal protection of ICH and the relationship between ICH, human rights, communities, identity and international trade. Those with an interest in the protection of a-typical intellectual property will also find this Handbook to be a source of valuable information. Contributors include: L. Belder, J. Blake, M. Blakely, A. Brown, J. Brown, N. Chipangura, L. Colomer, C. Cummings, Y. Donders, H. Enright, A. Figaroa, S. Harding, L. Lixinski, F. Macmillan, M. Pavis, J. Schofield, V. Vadi, J. van Donkersgoed, A. Vavaide, C. Waelde

The so-called Quistclose trust probably represents the single most important application of equitable principles in commercial life. (Lord Millett in the foreword to this book). The decision of the House of Lords in Twinsectra v Yardley has refocused attention on the Quistclose trust. Although accepted by insolvency lawyers as a convenient tool for corporate rescue, the precise basis of the trust has always been in doubt. The purpose of these essays is to explore the foundations of the trust and subject them to a searching analysis. Contributors: Robert Stevens (Oxford), 'Rolls Razor Ltd'; William Swadling (Oxford), 'Orthodoxy'; James Penner (LSE), 'Lord Millett's Analysis'; Lionel Smith (McGill), 'Understanding the Power'; Robert Chambers (Alberta),'Restrictions on the Use of Money'; Peter Birks (Oxford),'Retrieving Tied Money'; Ewan McKendrick (Oxford), 'Commerce'; Robert Stevens (Oxford), 'Insolvency'; George Gretton (Edinburgh),'Scotland'.

For this comprehensive collection, the editor has brought together key readings on the subject of the law and economics of intellectual property rights - patents, copyrights and trademarks. It provides a judicious selection of the most important published research on this crucial topic, drawing equally from the law and economics literature. It thus brings together frequently cited classic articles that are rarely encountered in a single published source. The articles have been selected on the basis of three primary criteria: their continuing influence in legal and economic discussions; their longevity (important in a field where the volume of published work is very large and growing very quickly); and their relevance to contemporary theoretical and policy debates. The chosen writings delve deeply into theory, empirics, and institutional detail, ranging from Edwin Mansfield's early, influential study on patents and imitation costs, to very recent work on the relationship between copyright law and the first amendment. This collection makes an indispensable desk reference for scholars of intellectual property rights.

"This Handbook is sure to become the ultimate sourcebook for everyone involved in the emerging field of nanotechnology. I would strongly recommend that any entrepreneur who wishes to begin a nanotechnology company and any investor who wishes to seek funding opportunities in nanotechnology read this work cover to cover. By providing the tools to evaluate this emerging discipline, it is a modern day Pilgrims Progress for professionals in the field."
-Doug Jamison, President and CEO, Harris & Harris Group, Inc.

"This Handbook adeptly explores the complex challenges nanotechnology poses for policy makers and the business community with regard to regulations, intellectual property rights, export control issues, and public and private financing. As a member of Congress active in advancing the development of nanotechnology, I will make great use of the conclusions the authors reach and the recommendations they make as I work with my colleagues on crafting future nanotechnology policy."
-U.S. Representative Mike Honda (CA)
member, House of Representatives Committee on Science

"Chapter by chapter, this book provides comprehensive discussions of the forces that drive the business of nanotechnology today, providing invaluable assistance in avoiding the pitfalls that await start-ups and long-standing corporations alike. It captures the journey we've been through these last few years, and offers the lessons we've learned to those who follow. Every new CEO or CFO of a high-tech company will find this book an invaluable resource."
-John H. Belk, Boeing Technology Ventures, Phantom Works
Chairman, Nanotechnology Steering Committee

"Miller and his colleagues haveattempted a Herculean task and have succeeded with great aplomb. The chapters on FDA review, EPA regulations, and export controls are particularly valuable and not easily accessible elsewhere. Value creation in a nanotech firm is all about intellectual property, and Miller's team excels in this area. The authors are also very adroit at putting a spin on business issues as they specifically apply to nanotech."
-David E. Reisner, PhD, President & CEO of The Nano Group(TM), Inc.
its subsidiaries, Inframat(R) Corp. and US Nanocorp(R), Inc.

"This is the first book to offer in-depth coverage of business, legal, and policy issues for the field of nanotechnology. It is a great resource for anyone seeking to read about the early leaders in nanotechnology business, as well as an authoritative guide for navigating the maze of legal and policy issues facing emerging nanotechnology enterprises."
-Stephen Maebius, Partner at law firm of Foley & Lardner
Leader of the Nanotechnology Industry Team

This work on the law of pension trusts comprehensively fills a gap in the provision of good commentary on pensions law, both from a practical and scholarly perspective. Responding to a paucity of up-to-date publications in this area, David Pollard provides the most detailed treatment available of trust law as it relates to occupational pension schemes. The book provides answers to difficult problems in pensions law often not covered by statute, including trustees' obligations to employers, how spouses and dependents rank as beneficiaries and implied duties owed by employers. Pollard deals with the issues of most concern to practitioners in pensions law, including trustees' investment and amendment powers, and trustee investment duties. This practical guidance is supported and enhanced by incisive academic analysis. Written by a leading pensions practitioner, this book is a must have for all practitioners and scholars in the field.

This research review discusses themes that arise at the points at which employment and intellectual property laws converge. Topics include historical perspectives on employee inventions; rationales for default rules; allocation of ownership of employee creation; restraints and employee mobility and discusses university approaches and issues.

Intellectual property has a vast, perplexing and diverse vocabulary, and this enriching Dictionary provides a starting point for understanding new concepts and crafting precise definitions to meet the needs of a particular case. Not only are new words and phrases being coined as technology changes and the law follows, but also the international scope of intellectual property means that IP lawyers will encounter foreign words and phrases. With over 1000 expressions defined clearly and entertainingly, this book should be the first reference point to understanding intellectual property terminology. It will be particularly helpful to practitioners when they encounter expressions they have not seen before which they need to understand the true meaning and definition of. Students finding unfamiliar terminology and concepts will also appreciate the instant explanation available from this essential resource.

Protecting the Brand, Volume I: Counterfeiting and Grey Markets is a handbook for law practitioners as well as business executives. It is a unique perspective of best practices in addressing issues around counterfeiting and grey markets - from a legal as well as a business point of view. The authors explore the threats posed by counterfeiting and grey markets to a variety of industries and illuminate what problems these may cause. Before setting forth the range of legal strategies for remedying incidents of counterfeiting and grey markets, the authors outline preventive measures businesses can take to combat the threats, and showcase some of the emerging technologies that can serve as enablers of Brand Protection's 3 IPR's (3 I's= Intelligence, Investigation, Innovation; 3 P's= Protection, Perseverance, Perpetuation; 3 R's= Remedy, Recovery, Rehabilitation).

Design occupies an important place in the modern world, and European legislatures have made many attempts, both technical and legal, to protect works of design. The proposals by the European Community for a Directive and Regulation in this area are a response to the widely perceived need for a homogeneous and systematic protection of designs. These initiatives, however, should be considered in light of the many interests at stake and the various solutions proposed in the wake of the Community's past experience in the field of patents and trademarks. This commentary presents both an analysis of the complete texts of the proposals in their "historical" context through annotation of the preparatory stages in the legislative process, as well as an in-depth interpretation of the provisions, seen through the eyes of some of the leading experts in the field.

This book provides a clear analysis of the multi-level impacts of the existing international law regime related to genetic resources on developing countries. It does so through a cogent exposition of the different areas of the law pertaining to genetic resources that are relevant and impact on people's rights and livelihoods. Its focus on equity is a welcome addition to the literature.' - Philippe Cullet, University of London, UK'Camena Guneratne's thought-provoking book critically evaluates the clash between the private property approach to genetic resources embedded in international intellectual property conventions, and the competing values embedded in a variety of other conventions and laws. She contests key assumptions behind intellectual property regimes supporting genetic commerce, distinguishing the genetic 'commons' from other types of resource. This book provides a comprehensive scholarly dealing with the topics noted in its title, but also should increase debate about policy failures in responding to the risks to the underprivileged of the instruments we use to pursue our economic interests of the majority.' - Paul Martin, University of New England, Australia 'This is a wonderful book. All to often in the quest to preserve biodiviersity, we forget that the equation of equity hs to be the forefront of the debates on sustainable development. Dr. Guneratne rectifies this mistake.This linkage between biodiversity, politics and international law is of such a high calibre, that it is likely that this work will become a key text for students and scholars alike.' - Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato, New Zealand This book examines current developments in international law which regulate the uses of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and the various property regimes which are applied to these resources by these international agreements. In the current context of the global food crisis, the development and stability of national agricultural systems is an urgent concern, particularly among developing countries. This stability, and national food security, will potentially be threatened if these countries are unable to have free access to agricultural crop plants. This book analyses a range of international agreements including the recently adopted Nagoya Protocol and demonstrates that in their current implementation they favor private ownership of these resources rather than free access. The book takes the position that this is inherently inequitable and these resources should be maintained in the public domain. This book will be of use to a wide range of readers from students and scholars to those working in the fields of trade and intellectual property, human rights, environmental conservation and advocacy on international issues. It contains a rigorous legal analysis of current international law development on the issue based on the negotiations which have taken place in the relevant forums, and will therefore be particularly useful to lawyers and legal scholars. It is also written in an uncomplicated style which makes it readily accessible to non-lawyers and the case studies and empirical data used throughout the book adds to its interest.