New principles agreed for out-of-print book licensing – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 22nd, 2011 in EC law, intellectual property, licensing, news, publishing by tracey

“The European Commission has created the basis for the digitising and distribution by libraries of out of print books that are still protected by copyright, it has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 21st September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Jeremy Hunt urges web firms to join anti-piracy drive – BBC News

Posted September 15th, 2011 in copyright, intellectual property, internet, legislation, news by tracey

“UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has delivered a hard-hitting speech, calling on net firms, advertisers and credit card companies to cut ties with websites that link to unlawful content.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bucks Fizz judge makes his mind up over ownership of name – The Guardian

Posted August 25th, 2011 in intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

“The UK intellectual property office has been making its mind up which members of Bucks Fizz, the pop group which won the 1981 Eurovision song contest, are eligible to claim the name as their own.”

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The Guardian, 24th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IPO is training prosecutors on IP crime – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 24th, 2011 in counterfeiting, Crown Prosecution Service, intellectual property, news by sally

“Crown prosecutors are receiving special training from intellectual property experts on how to construct legal cases against counterfeiters and pirates, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Government broadly backs Hargreaves recommendations to change IP frameworks – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 4th, 2011 in copyright, intellectual property, news, reports by sally

“The UK’s intellectual property (IP) laws sometimes hamper business growth, the Government has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

High court forces BT to block file-sharing website – The Guardian

Posted July 28th, 2011 in copyright, intellectual property, internet, news by tracey

“Hollywood film studios won a landmark UK high court ruling on Thursday forcing BT to block access to an illegal file-sharing website accused of operating ‘on a grand scale’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Atrium Medical Corpn and another v DSB Invest Holding SA – WLR Daily

Posted June 23rd, 2011 in intellectual property, law reports, patents, rights of audience, trials by sally

Atrium Medical Corpn and another v DSB Invest Holding SA [2011] EWHC 74 (Pat); [2011] WLR (D) 202

“High Court proceedings for declarations as to whether a product incorporated technical information, thus ultimately resulting in the determination of whether royalties were due, fell within the definition of ‘intellectual property litigation’ in regulation 3 of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents Higher Courts Qualification Regulations 2007 and therefore a patent attorney litigator was an ‘authorised person’ entitled to conduct the litigation and to exercise rights of audience in relation thereto.”

WLR Daily, 21st June 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Domain names can be registered with almost any suffix from next year, ICANN says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 21st, 2011 in domain names, intellectual property, internet, news by sally

“Businesses will be able to register website domain names with almost any ending and in any language from next year under plans approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th June 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Digital Opportunity: A review of Intellectual Property and Growth – Report by Ian Hargreaves

Posted May 19th, 2011 in copyright, intellectual property, internet, patents, reports by tracey

“In November 2010 the Prime Minister David Cameron announced an independent review of how the Intellectual Property framework supports growth and innovation. Chaired by Professor Ian Hargreaves and assisted by a panel of experts, the review reported to Government in May 2011. The Review makes 10 recommendations designed to ensure that the UK has an IP framework best suited to supporting innovation and promoting economic growth in the digital age.”

Full report

Intellectual Property Office, 18th May 2011

Source: www.ipo.gov.uk

Parliamentary committee suspends intellectual property rights inquiry – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 3rd, 2011 in inquiries, intellectual property, internet, legislation, news by sally

“A parliamentary committee has dropped its inquiry into the Digital Economy Act (DEA) and whether it is the right mechanism to protect copyright on the internet.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 3rd May 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

David Cameron warned over IP law change by TV industry – The Guardian

Posted April 20th, 2011 in intellectual property, media, news by sally

“The UK’s biggest commercial broadcasters have joined forces to warn David Cameron against a wholesale relaxation of intellectual property (IP) laws, saying it could cripple the country’s £4bn audiovisual sector.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court extends ability to strip people of right not to self-incriminate – OUT-LAW.com

“People accused of misusing confidential commercial or technical information have lost the right to avoid self-incrimination in court cases, following a High Court ruling.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Gray v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Coogan v Same – WLR Daily

Gray v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Coogan v Same [2011] EWHC 349 (Ch); [2011] WLR (D) 65

“The words ‘technical or commercial information’ in the definition of ‘intellectual property’ in section 72(5) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, section 72 (1) of which provided for the withdrawal of privilege against self or spousal incrimination in proceedings for, inter alia, infringement of rights pertaining to any intellectual property, meant technical or commercial information which could be protected by action.”

WLR Daily, 28th February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

High Court ruling paves the way for patent attorneys – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 10th, 2011 in intellectual property, news, patent attorneys by sally

“A High Court ruling has cleared the way for patent attorney litigators to conduct litigation in High Court cases.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Disputed web pages must be hidden, warns High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 16th, 2010 in defamation, intellectual property, internet, news by sally

“A disgruntled ex-agent must redirect domain names he owns to blank pages rather than to near-copies of the website of a company for which he acted, the High Court has said. The sites broke laws on passing off, the Court said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 15th December 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Opera composer fails in bid to take libel case to European court – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2010 in defamation, human rights, intellectual property, news by sally

“The composer of an opera who was left bankrupt after unsuccessfully suing the London Evening Standard for libel has failed in his bid to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

TV format inventor fails to convince court that BBC stole his idea – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 9th, 2010 in BBC, copyright, intellectual property, news by sally

“A man has failed in his attempt to show that his gameshow idea was copied by the BBC. A High Court judge refused to allow a full trial on the claims, calling them ‘simply unreal.’ ”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th September 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Ralli pursues group action for harassment against London firm – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 3rd, 2010 in class actions, harassment, intellectual property, internet, law firms, news by sally

“National firm Ralli is seeking to pursue a group action for harassment against London firm ACS Law in relation to the handling of file-sharing cases.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

File sharers targeted with legal action over music downloads – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2010 in compensation, copyright, intellectual property, news by sally

“Solicitors for dance music label Ministry of Sound have sent letters to thousands of internet users it believes have illegally downloaded music and says it is determined to take them to court – and extract substantial damages – unless they immediately pay compensation, typically around £350.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Henry beats rival vacuum cleaner in legal battle – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 28th, 2010 in costs, intellectual property, news by sally

“High Court judge Mr Justice Floyd ruled that a prototype model designed by a competing appliances company could be ‘passed off’ as a Henry machine if it went on the market.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th May 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk