IP Review - Inside the world of intellectual property|
- FOR ARTICLES on:
- Patents
- Trademarks
- Domains
- Software
- IP strategy
Quick Links
Columnists
HAVE YOUR SAY in the ip review poll
Which type of magazine do you read the most to keep up-to-date with Industry news?
Articles
Outsourcing to build 'concerted' future
Patterns of outsourcing by European corporations point to a future of 'concerted networks' of clients and service providers, eroding the traditional vertical integration model. The prediction arrives in the Ernst & Young study, Outsourcing: the R...WIPO to spotlight SMEs in wake of US Act
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is to bring together experts on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a forum set for Cardiff's Millennium Stadium from 10-11 September. Focusing on countries in the Organisatio...Legal outsourcing wins ABA endorsement
This week’s American Bar Association (ABA) opinion on legal outsourcing marks a positive development for the sector, departing from what many insiders had viewed as a sceptical stance by the group. The document – Lawyer’s Obligation...Study: India outsourcing potential in pharma R&D
A new study by a leading outsourcing researcher indicates that India-based patent services will benefit from increased activity in pharmaceutical R&D offshoring. With pharma firms eager to maintain their market positions by developing new drugs, ...Outsourcing master class set for Madrid
From 17-20 November, Madrid's branch of Quint Wellington Redwood management consultants will play host to a master class that is bound to attract the vanguard of the European outsourcing industry. Staged by the International Association of Outsourcin...Stellar line-up promised for IAOP forum
More details have emerged about the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) Governance Forum, slated for 9 September at Chicago's Marriott Hotel. The event is set to hear a raft of first-hand testimony on governance in outsourci...- International law firm, Eversheds, has outsourced a range of legal tasks to India to save on expenses incurred by UK and in-house activities. The move follows an earlier decision to increase the amount of work it already offshores to South Africa, wh...
Rule tweak quells patentee panic
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced on 7 August that it will adjust the retroactive element of a clause in its Claims and Continuation Final Rule, in response to widespread criticism from firms with large patent portfolios...IQPC to host premier LPO event
The International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC) is preparing to host its first ever conference on legal outsourcing. Set to take place in Chicago from 21-23 October, Best Practice Global Outsourcing Strategies in Legal Operations promises a ...LPO oasis rises in desert state
Proving that LPO continues to be a magnetic business proposition, a handful of graduate lawyers in India's largely inhospitable 'desert state', Rajasthan, have committed to the trade. Encouraged by the style of the work and its growth prospects, the ...HP client guru offers governance tips
With governance taking centre-stage at IAOP's September forum in Chicago, Hewlett-Packard (HP) client services guru, Ernie Zibert, has outlined his vision of best governance practice in outsourcing relationships. His report – released through F...IAOP spreads governance message in new forum
The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) is offering a full-scale forum on governance – the comprehensive management of outsourcing relationships – at Chicago's Marriott Hotel on 9 September. The conference is the...Blue-chip charts positive outsourcing journey
In a recent online conference held by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP), Sun Microsystems assistant general counsel, Connie Brenton, set out her firm's experiences of using LPO. Her insights provide a variety of hints ...IAOP London tackles economy’s effect on outsourcing
On 29 July, the London chapter of the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) will hold a meeting concerning the impacts of the global economy on the outsourcing trade. The blend of presentations and panel talks is designed to b...Massive Indian IP city to benefit LPOs
India-based legal outsourcing providers have reacted positively to news of the development of Parsvnath Nano City, 200km north of Delhi. The city, spearheaded by Hotmail creator, Sabeer Bhatia – and driven by a public-private partnership &ndash...Think tank bursts outsourcing job drain myth
A study by Nottingham University's Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre (GEP) has challenged the perception that outsourcing to India and China has harmed jobs in the UK. The GEP's paper –The Economic Impact of Offshoring – looked at ...LPOs caretake sub-prime fallout
Indian legal outsourcing services are benefiting from a strong avenue of trade linked to the US sub-prime mortgage collapse. LPOs are stepping in to help US firms cut costs, and are also overseeing legal processes connected with the crisis. Sub-pr...LPO trade makes fertile training ground
As the legal outsourcing market continues to grow, evidence is emerging that LPOs in India are fulfilling a complementary role with domestic law firms in terms of harnessing and sharpening the talents of young lawyers. Prevailing attitudes towards LP...New Chinese patent rules could squeeze foreign firms
R&D bases in China run by foreign firms may have to adjust their IP approaches to the emerging superpower if proposed amendments to patent rules are ratified. The new rules would press foreign firms innovating there into filing for Chinese patent...IAOP academic team-up to hone industry standards
The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) has announced that it has formed a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to research the outsourcing industry. The organisations are aiming to acquire a greater understanding of ...Top duo to set tone for CPA outsourcing
Legal outsourcing major, CPA, has announced the appointment of Bill Fagan as Chief Financial Officer and Paul McGolpin as Commercial Director. With their extensive experience in diverse, global corporations, Fagan and McGolpin will be instrumental in...New face at CPA to enhance LPO solutions
Leading LPO provider, CPA, has hired Sandy Levy to oversee the implementation of the firm’s contract management packages. Her expertise in the field will allow CPA to strengthen its already impressive portfolio of legal outsourcing services. Wi...CPA targets big slice of Indian LPO scene
Major legal outsourcing provider, CPA, is on track to claim a slice of India’s LPO market that could range between a quarter and a third, its country head has told the Press Trust of India. In a piece published in the Hindu on 22 June, Bhaskar ...New chapter for Indian outsourcing trade
Key players in India-based outsourcing have banded together to create a Delhi chapter of the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP). The chapter seeks to strengthen the Association’s ties to the country and bolster the ou...- CPA backs LPO trade summit Leading LPO provider, CPA, is sponsoring a two-day legal outsourcing summit, to be held on 15 and 16 September at New York's Marriott East Side Hotel. Best Practices for Developing and Executing an Offshore Legal Outsourci...
LPO lightens load for Chapter 11
Early-year corporate insolvency statistics have provided evidence that Chapter 11 bankruptcies are poised to increase. While around 6,200 bankruptcy petitions were filed over 2007, 2,700 have been filed from January to April this year – a numbe...CPA strengthens its Foundation
CPA has announced the launch of a new version of its FoundationIP tool for IP management. The 3.8.0 interface promises to bring firms with diverse intellectual assets greater ease in ordering their IP-related activities. It also provides the tightest...- The credit crunch is driving an upsurge in LPO business enquiries, according to a major law publication. Legal outsourcing specialists have said that law firms are using LPO as a means of relieving pressure and lowering fees; meanwhile, companies are...
New Bridge built for world-class COPs
Since 2006, the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) has garnered acclaim for its accreditation of outsourcing specialists. In creating a globally recognised standard of excellence for certified outsourcing professionals (COP...- A Welsh initiative directed at helping domestic small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) protect their IP has been so successful that WIPO invited the man behind the scheme to become its new policy adviser. Ben Whittacker-Cook follows Andrew Beale f...
- Italy’s IP regime reflects the first impressions of many visitors when they arrive in the country – a rich blend of history and innovation, with a large streak of independence thrown in for good measure, as Licia Garotti of international ...
Indian Bar Council to visit London
Delegates from the Bar Council of India are due to visit London this week, and the subject likely to dominate proceedings is the question of liberalising labour regulations that currently prevent foreign lawyers from practicing in India. The meeting ...- When it comes to risk, the IP industry is like any other business sector – you need to know where the risks lie and guard against them, says CPA’s Vincent Brault Another high-profile patent litigation hit the headlines this spring. Gem...
- Following the embarrassing loss of 25 million child benefit records by HM Revenue & Customs in late 2007, the security of personal data is in the spotlight once more. But few companies are aware of just how damaging such a breach can also be to t...
ITC Takes up Tungsten Patent Dispute
The International Trade Commission (ITC) voted this week to carry out an investigation on behalf of LSI Corporation and Agere Systems to verify claims of patent infringement against 18 rival firms. LSI and Agere are merged business partners who joint...Corporate LPO builds law sector's confidence
Inroads made by corporate legal departments into India-based outsourcing have helped traditional law firms adjust to the practice, according to new survey results. The survey, conducted by a leading market intelligence firm, reveals that the total va...- With filings from overseas keeping its registries busy and a small yet productive population to cater for, Canada has one of the West’s best administered IP systems. Bereskin & Parr’s Daniel R Bereskin, QC and Jonathan Burkinshaw expl...
- Insurers have traditionally steered clear of the risky business of protecting intangible assets. But not any more, says SAMiAN’s Sam Bobo. In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, businesses are heavily reliant on intangible assets...
- Following CPA’s US$50m investment in its India operation, Bhaskar Bagchi, country head, and Inder Duggal, head of operations, explain why India is leading the growth in legal process outsourcing. Outsourcing administrative IP functions and o...
Patent Office To Get Funding Boost Under Bush's Budget Proposal
President Bush's budget proposal for 2009 could see an additional $159 million, or equivalent to an 8% budget increase being handed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This increase would set the USPTO’s budget at $2.07...UK set to relax restrictions on copying music
Proposed changes to UK copyright law seek to allow owners of digital music to make copies for their own use. Although this simple process is commonplace, it is expected to become legal in the near future. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), u...- Businesses must learn to include IP in their strategic portfolio of assets, and examine how to accurately value, protect and maximise that value, says Melanie Butler, partner at PwC Just 30 years ago, most company valuations were determined by &ls...
- The idea of sharing ideas and innovation between competitors would seem to be the very antithesis of business intelligence, and yet today’s companies are looking to open innovation to ensure their future success. CPA’s John Pryor explains...
- Familiarity of design is one of the priceless tenets in making any product a success. It can help breed customer loyalty and once companies have found that winning formula, there’s no need to change. But what are the IP implications for our mor...
Can I take that off your hands?
The emergence of the outsourcing industry has provided a much-needed support network for busy companies seeking to retain their competitive edge. The question is no longer whether to outsource, it’s what to outsource and to whom. CPA’s Ro...- As well as possessing several robust IP regimes of its own, Australia has been quick to embrace the value of IP for global trade. Sprusons & Ferguson’s John Brass, reveals the history of IP legislation in the region and explains how the cou...
- We all know that IP is a valuable commodity, but how can you truly put a price on your intangible assets? Fresh from his US$50m agreement to finance fashion icon Betsey Johnson, Keith Bergelt explains how When, IP private equity firm Paradox Capit...
US media giants form copyright pact
Some of the biggest media companies in the US including Microsoft, Walt Disney and Viacom have agreed on a set of guidelines to protect copyrights online. The agreement is that they will each use technology to eliminate illegal content being uploa...Can You Teach an Old Economy New Tricks?
Europe's industrialised view of IP is undermining the creation of a knowledge-based economy, say Bowman J Heiden and Ulf Petrusson from Gothenburg's center for IP studies Europe set out its aims to ‘become the most competitive and the ...- In the past 20 years, the role of IP in a corporate environment has reached new levels of importance. When the core of a company is its IP, it's important for executive management to understand the extent of these rights and what IP can do for them. ...
- There are strict requirements for retaining and managing IP data, but too many companies still regard storing these key assets as the IT department’s problem. CPA’s Jonathan Newcombe explains why you should take more of an interest in how...
- As one of the founding members of the Paris Convention in 1884, Brazil possesses some of the most developed IP laws in Latin America. Attilio Gorini and Rodrigo Borge Carneiro, partners at Dannemann Siemsen Advogados, reveal more Brazil is often m...
Back to Basics: CIP Forum 2007
The CIP forum 2007 united business leaders from around the world to discuss the trends and challenges pushing our shift towards an intellectualised economy Six years after the first event organised by Gothenberg’s Center for Intellectual Pro...- Academia is playing an increasingly important role in the creation of IP-protected knowledge and innovation, but technology transfer can be difficult to manage without effective processes in place. What role should universities play in the creation o...
Australia joins WTO China case
Australia is to join as a third party other World Trade Organisation (WTO) members, including Mexico, Japan and the European Commission over complaints that China is failing to effectively enforce intellectual property rights. The US commenced a c...Korean and Portuguese now official WIPO languages
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has selected Korean and Portuguese as official languages. Both languages were adopted into the WIPO during the General Assembly meeting in Geneva on 27 Sept, now making up ten ‘internationa...UK business facing brand protection risk
UK business will need to be ever more vigilant with there trademarks because of major changes to UK trademark law. From 1 October, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) will examine UK trademarks on the basis of absolute grounds only. Thi...- The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has announced that it will hold two symposia on IP and life sciences at its Geneva headquarters, starting on 4 September. That day, the forum ‘IP and Bioethics’ will be introduced by WIP...
Bicycle Thieves Thwarted in Hong Kong
Officers from the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau (IPIB) of the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department have recovered several innovative and trademark-infringing foldable bicycles following raids on shops and the Internet. The raids fo...Bolt from the blue dives into the red
US-based Bolt.com, one of the Internet’s oldest and most influential video-sharing sites, has permanently closed following a protracted legal dispute with Universal Music Group. Founded in 1996, Bolt.com can lay claim to being one of the fir...Glittering Success in the Courts
Tiffany & Co., one of the largest and most prestigious luxury retailers in the world, has struck a blow against counterfeiters thanks to a Federal Court ruling in New York. The legendary jewellers were awarded damages of $957,000 from Stargl...- On 28 March, Marshall Phelps united some of the biggest names in IP at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, to discuss how best to integrate IP management into business strategy. These were their findings WHAT ROLE DOES IP TAKE IN YOUR B...
- According to BASCAP, counterfeiting and piracy are spiralling out of control, draining business resources, sapping the global economy, threatening consumer health and robbing the creative community of reward for innovation. It’s time to take ac...
- How can we expect the public to adhere to IP laws, if they don’t understand what IP is? asks Borealis patent attorney Eric Björkman How many times do we have to read that Harley-Davidson has ‘patented’ the sound of its motor...
Innovation, inspiration and IP
December 2006 was an innovation-focused month. Not only did the pan-European IP summit return to europe after a two-year break, but the Financial Times also hosted its first Innovate conference in London. CPA’s Charlotte Presse provides a round...- After months of debate and discussion, the long-awaited Gowers review of UK intellectual property was published last December to a mixed reception. What were its findings and what does it mean for IP in the UK as a whole? Matthew Packer investigates ...
- When Germany became a unified Republic in 1871, it comprised 16 states, each with their own distinct culture, history and legal system, of which IP paid a small, but important role. Since then Germany, as a nation, has pushed for the harmonisation of...
Look before you leap: The value of IP due diligence
As technology-focused companies become more IP-centric in their approach to business strategy, investor attention is increasingly focusing on the benefits of funding and purchasing IP, but they shouldn’t forget the risks. Dan McCurdy, CEO of Th...- Pod-casted, playlisted, personalised or downloaded… a digital revolution has hit the creative industries. Today’s consumers want access to music, films, entertainment and publishing online – and they certainly don’t want to p...
How to Protect Your IP From Infringement
Most businesses have well-planned procedures for registering and enforcing their IP assets, but how can smaller companies ensure the protection of their IP rights? Roland Hill explains to Emma Jones how Contra Vision Ltd safeguards its IP from infrin...- Is IP theft as big a menace to society as drug dealing? David Israelite, who was appointed in the spring to head up the Department of Justice's Intellectual Property Task Force believes so, as he explained to Edward Fennell. Intellectual property...
- Edison, Bell, Morse and the Wright brothers all arrived at their greatest ‘Eureka’ moments when working alone. But these days stories of beleaguered individuals fighting against large conglomerates have become so commonplace, that it is d...
- Outsourcing IP processes overseas will only make tangible business sense, if you pay attention to the tax issues of transferring IP, says Isabel Verlinden from PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Offshoring IP processes can seem an attractive proposition when...
- When William Shakespeare penned these famous words, he would have had no idea that some 500 years later, they would be used, so appropriately, on the topic of counterfeiting. Ray Parry, CEO of Crimeproofing Ltd, looks back at the problem of counterfe...
Are your Rights Going to Work?
Joff Wild explores how companies can go about putting successful procedures in place to make the most of their hidden assets. Even corporations that bring in over US$70 billion worth of revenue each year need to find new sources of income. So when...Five Reasons Why IP is your Hidden Advantage
Research shows that companies are consistently failing to exploit their intellectual property resources, putting themselves at a disadvantage in the marketplace. IP is the most important part of a modern business, says Bianca McDonogh, from CPA. Here...Going Global Without Getting Burnt
What happens if your product goes global in a single bound? Do you have the infrastructure and knowledge in place to expand? Our three experts outline the issues faced by small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to successfully navigate the pitfall...- All too often CPA is thought of only for its patent and trademark renewals service. However, Helen Boydell, trademark marketing manager at CPA, explains how CPA’s portfolio of products and services unite as one integrated solution. In a comp...
How to... keep in shape and beat the competition
In a competitive marketplace, innovation can make all the difference when it comes to increasing profitability and retaining market share. But how you organise your patents can form a crucial part of any future success. CPA’s John Pryor outline...How to Exploit Patents for Profit
Is buying and selling patents prudent management or trading the ‘family silver’? Peter Spours, executive vice-president of Thinkfire, outlines the pros and cons of trading in IP. Patents may have existed for the last 500 years, but the...- You can’t pick up a newspaper, turn on the radio or watch the television today without branding being a topic. In a shortened version of his speech at the Brand Management Forum from March 2004, John Williamson, board director at Wolff Olins co...
Should you Auction your IP Rights?
Ocean Tomo’s first live patent auction in April 2006 courted much controversy in recent months with many critics questioning the worth of the patents at auction. Here Raymond Millien, general counsel at Ocean Tomo, LLC, argues that companies ca...- In 1919, only a year after regaining Independence from the Prussian, Austrian and Russian empires, the Republic of Poland established its first national IP laws. now with its membership of the EU in force, Poland ’s IP law looks set to follow t...
The IP Guide to...The People's Republic of China
The growth of intellectual property infringement in the People’s Republic of China has parallelled the growth of its national economy and access to international markets. As its legal system develops, its IPR enforcement efforts look set to imp...- In the third part of our series on asset management, Joff Wild explores the potential for licensing intellectual property and provides some good advice for licensors. The most common way of making money from IP Rights is through licensing. Licensi...
Four Easy Ways to Keep Infringement at Bay
Every company can develop a proactive corporate IP strategy that will help protect and preserve its IP rights. Here are our four simple steps for keeping potential infringers at bay 1. Get it right first time Before you can worry about whether or...- As one of Australia’s leading intellectual property firms, Davies Collison Cave is well placed to assess the driving forces behind the expansion of its country’s IP industry. Partner Leon Allen considers the key factors for change and exp...
- Following the establishment of a new Intellectual High Property Court in April 2005, Japan looks set to enter a new period of national innovation. But what does that mean for the IPR holder looking to register and protect their rights in the territor...
The IP Guide to...South Africa
Over a decade of democracy in South Africa has led to new levels of investment and development. However, the constitution still does not include official provision for the protection of IP rights. Daniel Greenberg explains the IP systems that are in ...- Even in its founding Constitution, the US acknowledges the importance of protecting IP Rights, say Charles Miller and William Allen, IP attorneys at Banner & Witcoff. But has the US risen to meet the challenge of this early vision? Signed in 1...
- Despite their political independence, the Scandinavian states of Denmark, Norway and Sweden share many historical, cultural and legislative ties, including their approach to IP law. However, differences between the countries’ legislative practi...
- When India signed the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) in 1994, it was given 10 years to update its antiquated Patent Act of the 1970s and make it compliant with World Trade Organization laws. The government introduced th...
- The United Arab Emirates is a small country whose intellectual property laws are relatively new. But it occupies a strategic location in the Middle East and is the transit point for an enormous trade in goods, from manufacturing countries in Asia to ...
- France was one of the first countries to establish IP rights to protect and promote innovation and commerce, introducing its first patent legislation in 1791 and the world’s first trademark act in 1806. Christian Derambure from Breese Derambure...
- When visiting CPA, clients often ask how we keep up-to-date with the state of law in so many countries, in order to safely maintain their IP Rights. Marcus Liddiard from CPA’s IP Legal Services explains. CPA’s IP Legal Services departm...
Thailand: a counterfeiter's paradise?
Wherever tourist markets open up, a trade in fakes is sure to follow. Vicky Bamforth spends a morning walking around Bangkok’s notorious Patpong market, and asks what its trade in counterfeit goods says about the Kingdom of Thailand’s int...- Only by valuing intangible assets, such as IP, can a company definitively measure its own worth, says Robert Wulff, from Griffith Hack, Australia. The recent push for companies to value intangible assets, such as IP, has come about for a number of...
