Pride and Percentages: Copyright Term Limits and Payments to Authors in the Romantic Period

In common law countries, the term of protection granted by copyright has been steadily growing ever since its advent in the eighteenth century, yet the benefits of these term extensions has been vigorously debated. A new study by Meghan McGarvie and Petra Mosner, however, provides evidence that payment to authors by London publishers significantly increased […]

Caught in the Stat: LSE Receives Criticism for its Report on Copyright in the Music Industry

Mark Twain once said that "facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable." Now, many believe that the London School of Economics applied their statistics a tad too flexibly this fall when its Media Policy Project Series Editors released a brief advocating that the United Kingdom not implement its expected Digital Economy Act 2010 (DEA).

European Court of Justice Provides Narrow Answer to Question of Jurisdiction for Internet-based Copyright Infringement

Let’s assume you’re a French musician part of a hip British indie-rock band. 30 years later, you discover that an Austrian company has been making unauthorized CDs and a UK-based outfit has been selling them online.  Can your home court in France hear your action against the Austrian CD manufacturer?  According to a recent preliminary […]

Few People Download Illegally, But Those That Do, Do It A Lot

The few, the mighty. That's one way to describe illegal downloading habits.

Volkswagen v Garcia et. al.: Volkswagen Halts Disclosure of Secret Security Algorithm

Last June, Justice Birss of the High Court of England and Wales (Chancery Division) ruled in favor of Volkswagen and granted an interim injunction against Flavio Garcia, Computer Science Lecturer at the University of Birmingham, thus prohibiting him from publishing an academic paper that sought to expose weaknesses in Volkswagen automobile security systems.

Canadians Make Their Mark on Global Guide for Museum IP

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has updated its Guide on Managing Intellectual Property for Museums, with two Canadians playing major roles in the Guide’s creation.

Interflora – The Latest Legal Decision in the Blossoming Google AdWords Debate

The verdict is in for the lengthy European trade-mark battle between British flower competitors Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Interflora regarding Google AdWords and trade-mark infringement. Victory goes to the trade-mark holder, Interflora.

The UK Intellectual Property Office on the Impact of Lookalikes

On May 31st, 2013 the UK Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) released a report on its research into the “Impact of Lookalikes: Similar Packaging and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods”. The issue of lookalikes is a politically “hot” one in both the UK and the EU, as there is pressure from brand owners who seek more effective protection […]

Breach of Confidence: Your “Friends” Can’t Protect You

As social media becomes increasingly prolific, the perils of its use are becoming increasingly apparent. Yet another case has highlighted that the information you place in the online sphere is liable to harm you in a court of law.

Beyond Knowledge and Consciousness – The Development of Liability for Misuse of Trade Secrets in the UK

On May 22nd, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ("UKSC") decided the case Verstergaard, and in doing so created an important precedent concerning the relevance of subjective aspects of personal liability when misusing trade secrets and confidential information.