Intellectual Property Law

Module code: LW3380

Intellectual Property encompasses a vast array of artistic, technological and economic endeavours that permeate our daily lives. IP has, over the last 20-30 years, attracted growing attention from commercial, political and legal disciplines.

This course will set out to examine the nature and extent of IP legal protection by exploring the central intellectual property regimes and their application. In doing so, it will analyse some of the most contentious issues in IP law such as IP and the internet, IP vs. open/greater access, IP and human rights and IP and ethics. The course will also explore the history, theoretical foundations and justifications for IP rights to understand why they exist, and whether they are currently functioning as intended.

The economic effectiveness of intellectual property law is a hotly debated topic in both domestic and global governance. Yet, the optimum level of IP protection has proven to be an elusive goal. Balancing the grant of exclusive (and sometimes monopolistic) rights against the need for open access, free competition, and other legal and moral obligations is something that all legal systems currently battle with.

Topics covered

• Patents
• Trade Marks including signs, names, logos
• Copyright literature, art, music and films

Excluded Combinations

• Not available to Semester only Visiting Students