View articles by subject:
IP Resources
Nigel Swycher
- Posted in: Ip Strategy
on 08th June 2007 Link to this page
Please copy and paste the link below to link to this article:
Head of technology, Olswang
Why IP – what drew you into the field?
Jeremy Phillips. He taught me IP, as well as contract law and consumer law, and supervised my dissertation, which aimed to computerise the law of mistake and misrepresentation. He has been my inspiration for the last 25 years and I am delighted that he is joining Olswang as an IP Consultant at the beginning of June.
How long have you been practising IP?
Since 1987.
What’s your most memorable career event to date?
I once fell asleep whilst drafting an exhibition contract. Two months later, we had to apply for an injunction to enforce its terms. Watching Steven Gee QC wheel out a line of shipping cases and the doctrine of surplusage made me want to weep!
What’s your top tip for IP networking?
Nothing speaks louder than your last job.
Which professional do you think is making the biggest waves in IP at the moment?
Nathan Myhrvold, CEO of Intellectual Ventures and ex-CTO of Microsoft. Having added liquidity into the IP marketplace – he is rumoured to have deployed $400m towards the acquisition of 10,000 patents – we must now wait to see how he exercises these rights.
What is your favourite aspect of the IP profession?
Every job is different. If you are a corporate or finance lawyer, all shares and money look the same. An IP lawyer cannot succeed without knowledge and understanding of the underlying rights and the sector in which those rights are to be exploited. I have advised on everything from mobile operating systems and Bluetooth at one end to toilet paper at the other. I know of no other area of the law that provides the same variety.
What is your least favourite?
The fact that developments and improvements are often delayed by political considerations – an example of this is the current lack of uniform enforcement for European patent rights.
Which IP-related book would you recommend to fellow professionals?
Trade Mark Law: A Practical Anatomy by Jeremy Phillips. It provides a unique insight into brands and their protection and just when you feel you can’t take any more, it will make you laugh.
Add to RSS: 
Add this page to:
