Issues/Your Take

How Music Copyright Lawsuits Are Scaring Away New Hits

How Music Copyright Lawsuits Are Scaring Away New Hits

Hello! While researching for a paper for another class I cam across an interesting article called “How Music Copyright Lawsuits are Scaring Away New Hits”. It discusses how the influx of copyright lawsuits in the music industry is stifling creativity and causing some artists and song writers to feel compelled to purchase insurance policies (costing […]

Paper: Introduction of the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act

Paper: Introduction of the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act

Hello everyone My paper topic is on the introduction of the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act in the US. I can’t really put in footnotes for my post on here, so I have included links to the bill and various articles at the bottom. Hope you find this somewhat interesting. After the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act […]

Is there Magic in those Mushrooms? Part 2 – Protecting New Psilocybin Derivatives

Is there Magic in those Mushrooms? Part 2 – Protecting New Psilocybin Derivatives

Hi everyone, I believe Professor Festinger had posted the original article about magic mushrooms during February 3 news of the week (https://www.bereskinparr.com/doc/is-there-magic-in-those-mushrooms-protecting-psilocybin-and-other-actives-from-magic-mushrooms). I happened to come across that original article and saw this follow up-article that provides some insight into patent law in the area. This article goes into a review of strategies for protecting chemical […]

Using copyright for the removal of “revenge pornography” online

Using copyright for the removal of “revenge pornography” online

Hello friends, I came across an interesting article in researching a paper for another class. I found it really remarkable because it highlights the extent of issues copyright can concern itself with: in this case, copyright infringement principles can be used by victims of “revenge pornography” (i.e. the non-consensual distribution of private sexual imagery) to […]

EU Study Reveals Positive Links Between Intellectual Property Ownership and Economic Performance

EU Study Reveals Positive Links Between Intellectual Property Ownership and Economic Performance

Happy Friday everybody! I just thought I would share an interesting article I came across this evening that briefs a recent report published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office. In 2015, a EUIPO study found that companies in the European Union with at least one patent, trademark or registered design “record higher revenues per employee […]

Scope of Official Mark Protection (and application of s. 12(1)(e))

Scope of Official Mark Protection (and application of s. 12(1)(e))

The Federal Court Takes a Hard Look At Scope of Protection Available to An Official Mark This article stood out to me today after going through last week’s material on trademarks, especially since it has to do with the “controversial” category – official marks! As the article states, a mark that solely consists of an […]

Patent Troll Awarded $2.2 Billion Against Intel

Patent Troll Awarded $2.2 Billion Against Intel

Hey everyone, I came across this story and thought it would be interesting to share with everyone. The gist of it is that a company whose only business is buying old patents and prosecuting claimed infringements of them sued Intel for a cumulative $11 billion and this week a jury in Texas deliberated on two […]

Should big pharma be allowed to keep their COVID vaccines patented?

Should big pharma be allowed to keep their COVID vaccines patented?

https://www.businessinsider.com/vaccine-patents-ips-monopoly-vaccination-process-us-biden-africa-2021-2 There is a really interesting debate happening right now about whether COVID vaccines should have their patents lifted, to allow more production. It is estimated that the current vaccine production is only utilizing 43% of the world’s total vaccine production capabilities.  Problematically, only 4% of doses are being administered in the global south (mainly […]

PC v. PC: Pampered Chef Succeeds Once Again in Trademark Infringement Battle: Smart & Biggar prevails in dismissal by Federal Court of Appeal.

PC v. PC: Pampered Chef Succeeds Once Again in Trademark Infringement Battle: Smart & Biggar prevails in dismissal by Federal Court of Appeal.

Hi everyone, Came across this decision that reminded me of the Taylor Swift Evermore case and our brief discussion around the concept of confusion. Thought it’s pretty relevant since we are looking at passing off and trademark content right now in class. It’s about Loblaw’s private label brand, President’s Choice, with Loblaw alleging that another […]