Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

A Collision Course Between Trips Flexibilities And Investor-State Proceedings, Cynthia M. Ho

Cynthia M Ho

This Article discusses an important, yet understudied threat to patent, as well as other intellectual property sovereignty under TRIPS: pending and potential challenges by companies under international agreements protecting investments. Although such agreements have existed for decades, Philip Morris and Eli Lilly are blazing a new path for companies to sue countries they claim interfere with their intellectual property rights through so-called investor-state arbitrations. These suits seek hundreds of millions in compensation and even injunctive relief for alleged violations of internationally agreed intellectual property norms. The suits fundamentally challenge TRIPS flexibilities at the very time the Declaration on Patent Protection …

Intellectual Property: A Beacon For Reform Of Investor-State Dispute Settlement,, Daniel Gervais

Daniel J Gervais

Regulating Access To Databases Through Antitrust Law, 2006 Stan. Tech. L. Rev. 7 (2006), Daryl Lim

Daryl Lim

It is largely uncontroversial that the “creative” effort in a database will be protected by copyright. However, any effort to extend protection to purely factual databases creates difficulties in determining the proper method and scope of protection. This Paper argues that antitrust law can be used to supplement intellectual property law in maintaining the “access-incentive” balance with respect to databases. It starts from the premise that a trend toward “TRIPs-plus” rights in databases, whatever its form, is inevitable. The reason is a simple, but compelling one: business needs shape the law. Various means of database access regulation are explored and …

"Several Healthy Steps Away": New & Improved Products In Section 337 Investigations, 8 J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop. L. 309 (2009), Steven E. Adkins, John Evans

John Evans

A business that imports “new and improved,” or redesigned, products into the United States should be aware of the procedures available to lessen the risk of violating standing orders of the United States International Trade Commission (“Commission”). In order to ensure that these products gain entry without violating an ITC order and accruing substantial penalties, it is imperative that the business know its options. Whether it requests a Customs ruling or uses a certification, or whether it petitions for an advisory opinion from the Commission, the business must be able to maneuver. This nuts-and-bolts guide provides examples and information on …

The Transaction Cost Problem In International Intellectual Property Exchange And Innovation Markets, Sonia Baldia

Sonia Baldia

In recent years, there has been a dramatic surge in cross-border IP exchange transactions driven by globalization, open innovation, and the escalating strategic value of IP to competitive firms, the positive result of which are significantly developed global IP markets. While critical to these global IP markets, international IP exchange remains highly inefficient because parties face excessive transaction costs relative to transaction value, both in transaction design and negotiation and in transaction enforcement. These transaction costs arise from the territoriality of IP laws and low visibility into individual state IP law regimes that IP exchange transactions may implicate, thus imposing …

Transparency In International Economic Relations And The Role Of The Wto, Padideh Ala'i , Matthew D'Orsi

Padideh Ala'i