This collection of essays was written in honour of David Vaver, who recently retired as Professor of Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law and Director of the Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre at the University of Oxford. The essays, written by some of the world's leading academics, practitioners and judges in the field of intellectual property law, take as their starting point the common assumption that the patent, copyright and trade mark laws within members of the 'common law family' (Australia, Canada, Israel, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and so on) share some sort of common tradition. The contributors examine, in relation to particular topics, the extent to which such a shared view of the field exists in the face of other forces that are producing divergence. The essays discuss, inter alia, issues concerning court practices, the medical treatment exception, non-obviousness and sufficiency in patent law, originality and exceptions in copyright law, unfair competition law, and cross-border goodwill and dilution in trade mark law.

Copyright, Contracts, Creators provides a new and original analysis on the relationship between owners and creators and recommendations for legislative change to re-balance the relationship. It is a must read for the intellectual property legal community and anyone interested in the promotion of creative works. - Marshall Rothstein, Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada 'Dr Giuseppina D'Agostino is a protector of the arts, and her work on intellectual property is designed not only to bring law and order to our digital universe but to bring hope to the artists, poets and writers whose only hope of pursuing their artistry is to earn income for their craft. A wonderful book by one of the most wonderful and forward thinking minds in this subject area. - Tony Chapman, Founder and CEO, Capital C, Canada 'Dr D'Agostino has produced an important, carefully documented and courageous study that deserves to be widely read and discussed and (dare one say?) even to have its message heeded.' - David Vaver, Emeritus Professor of Intellectual Property & IT Law, University of Oxford, UK The digital world has put content within arm's reach of desire. No longer can an author be satisfied that her intellectual property is safely encased in a bound book, nor can a photographer know where his work will be displayed or shared, nor can a writer rest assured that her article will be consumed in the intended magazine or newspaper. The Internet-fueled recycling of existing works into new media is the greatest challenge to copyright law. Copyright, Contracts, Creators evaluates the efficacy of current copyright law to address the contracting and use of creative works. It looks in particular at freelance works and argues that their copyright treatment on a national and international level is inadequate to resolve ambiguities in the contracting and uses of the work. Giuseppina D'Agostino discusses how historically laws and courts were more sympathetic to creators, and how the Internet revolution has shifted the scales to favor owners. Consequently, creators often find themselves at opposing ends with copyright owners, and in a disproportionately weaker bargaining position that places tremendous strain on their livelihoods. She argues that this predicament puts society at risk of losing its most valued asset: professional creators. The author calls for a new framework to justify legislative provisions and resolve ambiguities while suggesting principles and mechanisms to address the inadequate treatment of freelance work. Scholars and students of law, cultural studies, and intellectual property will find this volume a critical addition to their libraries. Beyond these, policy makers, lawyers and anyone concerned with the blurring lines of intellectual property in the age of cyberspace will welcome the author's insights.

Copyright, Contracts, Creators provides a new and original analysis on the relationship between owners and creators and recommendations for legislative change to re-balance the relationship. It is a must read for the intellectual property legal community and anyone interested in the promotion of creative works. - Marshall Rothstein, Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada 'Dr Giuseppina D'Agostino is a protector of the arts, and her work on intellectual property is designed not only to bring law and order to our digital universe but to bring hope to the artists, poets and writers whose only hope of pursuing their artistry is to earn income for their craft. A wonderful book by one of the most wonderful and forward thinking minds in this subject area. - Tony Chapman, Founder and CEO, Capital C, Canada 'Dr D'Agostino has produced an important, carefully documented and courageous study that deserves to be widely read and discussed and (dare one say?) even to have its message heeded.' - David Vaver, Emeritus Professor of Intellectual Property & IT Law, University of Oxford, UK The digital world has put content within arm's reach of desire. No longer can an author be satisfied that her intellectual property is safely encased in a bound book, nor can a photographer know where his work will be displayed or shared, nor can a writer rest assured that her article will be consumed in the intended magazine or newspaper. The Internet-fueled recycling of existing works into new media is the greatest challenge to copyright law. Copyright, Contracts, Creators evaluates the efficacy of current copyright law to address the contracting and use of creative works. It looks in particular at freelance works and argues that their copyright treatment on a national and international level is inadequate to resolve ambiguities in the contracting and uses of the work. Giuseppina D'Agostino discusses how historically laws and courts were more sympathetic to creators, and how the Internet revolution has shifted the scales to favor owners. Consequently, creators often find themselves at opposing ends with copyright owners, and in a disproportionately weaker bargaining position that places tremendous strain on their livelihoods. She argues that this predicament puts society at risk of losing its most valued asset: professional creators. The author calls for a new framework to justify legislative provisions and resolve ambiguities while suggesting principles and mechanisms to address the inadequate treatment of freelance work. Scholars and students of law, cultural studies, and intellectual property will find this volume a critical addition to their libraries. Beyond these, policy makers, lawyers and anyone concerned with the blurring lines of intellectual property in the age of cyberspace will welcome the author's insights.