The world of fashion and the fight to protect intellectual property rights

By Emma Peart A number of large fashion companies have been recently flexing their muscles in attempts to fiercely protect their intellectual property rights. Louis Vuitton has been busy protecting its rights in the case of Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. v. Akanoc Solutions, Inc., 658 F.3d 936 (9th Cir. 2011) where it has taken legal action against the owners of

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The case of Luis Vuitton and the responsibilities of server owners to protect copyright and trademark rights

The decision highlights the responsibility of server providers to regulate their usage and make sure that any usage which breaches copyright or trademark rights must be dealt with or they can be held liable for any breach of copyright or trademark law. Owners of servers must be extremely vigilant of the activities of the users of its servers.

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Beer Wars: Battle Of The Buds, The UK Front

The long and short of it is that this latest ruling is the latest chapter in a multi-volume epic battle. It is a story about a 100 year war, a cross border beer war, over a name. Yes, that’s what I said a name. From a business perspective it’s all about fiercely defending the brand and marketing of beer and beer related products under that brand. From a legal perspective it is a global trademark war.

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Hooters and Twin Peaks, what’s the difference

In what has been deemed by some commentators as the battle of the breastaurants, for all the obvious reasons, the suit is actually between Hooters and one of its former executives whom it accuses of taking its trade secrets before his departure. Double entendres aside trade secrets and the alleged taking of them are no joke. Trade secrets are the life blood of a company as they represent a major if not the sum total of a business’s competitive advantage.

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Beware the contractual agreement: Copyright owners and Law Firms

By: Emma Peart It has come to light through accidental disclosure of files that a UK law firm, ACS: Law has been sending letters on behalf of its client MediaCAT to suspected illegal file sharers. This in itself has raised a number of questions as to any such action by a firm. The letters themselves offered the suspected illegal file-sharers

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UK University To Giveaway IP In Hopes Of Spurring Innovation

By: Ainsley Brown Are you an entrepreneur? Are you British? Do you have the resources to commercialize patented materials? If you answered yes to the above questions then the University of Glasgow wants to talk to you. In a move that could spur innovation in the UK through the development and increased use of collaborative ecosystems between universities and enterprise,

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Welcome to China-Proper Protection for ideas at last?

By: Emma Peart China has recently offered more protection through Patents. It has offered protection in Patents since 1985 but has recently began to take the issue more seriously. China’s new legislation in relation to Patent Law came into force on 1st October 2009 with corresponding implementing regulations issued in February 2010. This can only be seen as a good thing

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