In advance of the next Tweetinglegals tweet up on 17 Jan here are a few pieces of information that might interest those attending. The venue Old Bank of England, is mid way between Chancery Lane and Bell’s Yard in Fleet Street. As you walk into the grand pub room bear right towards the bar, and [...]
Posts under ‘Uncategorized’
Does Lack of Professional Advice Lead to Unnecessary Trade Mark Registration?
When a key player in the Government’s plans to strengthen the IP framework, encourages business owners to file their own trade marks, explaining this is to help them afford trade mark registration, I wonder what’s going on. Many lawyers educate the public about the value of taking legal advice. So, it is somewhat surprising for [...]
Software Licences and the US First Sale Doctrine – Psystar judgment handed down
Key to Apple’s surging popularity have been the ease of use of its products and software, and seamless integration between its devices and services. Arguably unique in the personal computer industry, Apple exercises strict controls over every element of its product line. This control over both the hardware and software used in its computers, peripherals [...]
Bayfiles – The Jolly Roger at Half Mast?
The Pirate Bay has been thrown into the limelight a number of times, not least following a legal battle over copyright infringement which resulted in jail sentences for the four site operators in April 2009 (though at the time of writing, the website is still operational). Recently two of its founders announced their decision to [...]
Newzbin, the DEA, and the Great Wall of BT – A Mixed Bag for the MPA?
Further progress was made in the Newzbin saga last week when the High Court ordered BT to prevent its subscribers from accessing the website. You may recall that the site had hopped abroad to the Seychelles, escaping the reach of the UK courts (or so it thought). However, despite its emigration, the Motion Picture Association [...]
Stormtroopers and the Supreme Court
The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court recently rendered its decision in the first Intellectual Property case heard since it opened for business in October 2009. The case, Lucasfilm v Ainsworth, concerned infringement of copyright subsisting in Stormtrooper helmets, which had in the past been produced by Andrew Ainsworth for the Star Wars films. Under ss.51 and [...]
Intellectual Property Rights – Build And Protect Now To Profit Later
A key to differentiating a business is having an offering or a way of doing business that is unique to you, so you stand out from your competitors. See my personal blog for differentiating a law firm Your differentiating proposition effectively says to consumers that buying from you will give them a specific benefit. This [...]
Aggressive Protection of IP, and the High Court ruling on the Digital Economy Act
The IPKat, reporting from the Fordham IP Conference, recently noted the upbeat tone of the keynote delivered by Victoria Espinel, White House IP Enforcement Coordinator. While new technology may have rendered effective copyright enforcement a daunting prospect, and in the minds of some a losing battle, Espinel’s keynote at the conference, and the Obama Administration’s [...]
Data Retention Law in France Raises Privacy Concerns
Large technology businesses including Google, Facebook and eBay are fighting a new law in France (Google translation) that would require internet companies to keep user data for a year. The French Association of Internet Community Services (ASIC) is to challenge the law infront of the State Council. Data must be retained so that it can [...]
Start Up Britain and Regulation: A Balancing Act?
270,000 businesses start up in Britain every year, and the new Start Up Britain intitiative hopes to promote entrepreneurship by offering reading material, business resources, discounts and a variety of other assistance. Some legal resources are also available, to help new businesses steer a clear path through swathes of regulation, manage risk, and to offer [...]
