A New Approach: Modernizing the "Regulatory Framework for Patent and Trade-mark Agents" in Canada

On July 23rd, 2013 the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) issued a statement to its members about an upcoming collaboration between itself, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the Canadian chapters of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI) and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) for the […]

Law, Culture, Critique

On May 10, 2013, York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School Graduate Law Student Association (GLSA) held a two day Graduate Student Law Conference at the Oakham House at Ryerson University in downtown Toronto.

'Lock Your Knees': Yoga Sequences Not Copyrightable

December was a busy month for yoga guru Bikram Choudhury. On December 14, 2012, the United States District Court of the Central District of California granted a partial Summary Judgment in favour of Evolation Yoga in the case of Bikram's Yoga College of India v Evolation. The judgment came just weeks after a joint press release, filed on December […]

Third time a charm? The Innovative Design Protection Act in the face of The Knockoff Economy.

On Friday November 1, 2012, the American University, Washington College of Law Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP) hosted the Inaugural Peter Jaszi Distinguished Lecture on Intellectual Property, featuring Christopher Sprigman, Professor at the University of Virginia Law School and co-author of the book The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation.

Re:Sound v. MPTAC: SCC Upholds Copyright Board's Decision

On July 12, 2012, in a unanimous 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal launched by Re:Sound, rejecting an application for Tariffs on soundtracks accompanying cinematographic works. The SCC held that a sound recording accompanied by a video is precluded from collecting the s.19 remuneration right.

ICANN Reveals New gTLD Applications

On June 13th 2012, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), revealed the applications for new generic Top-Level Domain names (gTLD) in a press release and conference. In his opening address, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN Rod Beckstrom stated that the “internet is about to change forever”, and that the gTLD […]

Navajo Nation Sues Urban Outfitters Inc

On February 28th 2012, the Navajo Nation filed a lawsuit against Urban Outfitters Inc. and its subsidiaries in the District Court of New Mexico for ‘trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition and commercial practice laws violation and for the violation of The Indian Arts and Crafts Act’. The basis of the Navajo Nation's complaint was […]

One Step Closer: Bill C-11

May 14, 2012 brings the latest attempt at copyright reform, Bill C-11 one step closer to fruition. Bill C-11 began with its Introduction and Initial Reading before the House in September of 2011, and is presently, as of May 14 2012, in its Report Stage. Otherwise known as Canada’s Copyright Modernization Act, Bill C-11 was […]

Evidence Of Parasitic Intent Not Unfounded: L’Oreal

Advocate General Mengozzi delivered his opinion to the European Union’s Court of Justice (ECJ), on February 16 2012, denying the Appeal sought by Helena Rubenstein SNC and L’Oreal SA concerning the Community trademarks BOTOLIST and BOTOCYL. Botox was registered as a word mark from 1991 to 2003 for goods in Class 5 of the Nice […]

The Saga Continues: Waldman v Thomson Reuters Corporation Class Action Certified

On February 21, 2012, Judge Perell of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted certification for a proposed class action suit under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. C.6 against Thomson Reuters Canada Limited in Waldman v Thomson Reuters Corporation. The suit was launched by Mr. Lorne Waldman, an Ontario lawyer specializing in […]