Law in Ireland 2007 -- Syllabus

Syllabus
Comparative and International Intellectual Property Law
Prof. David W. Opderbeck
Law in Ireland Program 2007

General Policies

This course provides a comparison of U.S. intellectual property law to the laws of other nations and territories, particularly the European Union, and reviews the international treaty and convention structure relating to intellectual property. 

The required text is Doris Estelle Long and Anthony D’Amato, International Intellectual Property (West 2000).  You are also expected to read provisions of the statutes, treaties and conventions mentioned in the text.  All of these documents can be found on-line at the following sites:

United States Code:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/
Paris Convention:  http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/paris/trtdocs_wo020.html
Berne Convention:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html
TRIPS:  http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/t_agm0_e.htm

You are required to do the assigned reading and participate in class.  We will gauge our progress at the end of each class session and tailor the reading schedule accordingly.

You will be evaluated based on a take-home examination.  The Professor reserves the right to grant positive or negative discretion.

Subjects and Reading Assignments

I.  Introduction

p. 10-13

II.  Overview of Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks and Trade Secrets Under U.S. Law

A.  Copyright

1.  General Concepts

p. 14 – 23
p. 28- 35

2.  Originality and Fair Use in U.S. Law

p. 36-43

B.  Patents

1.  General Concepts

p. 45-47

2.  Philosophy of Patents, Novelty and Nonobviousness

p. 47-53

3.  Utility

p. 53-57

4.  Statutory Bars

p. 64-71

5.  Design Patents

p. 71-77

6.  Plant Patents

p. 77-85

C.  Trademarks

1.  General Concepts

p. 86-87

2.  Acquisition of Rights and Hierarchy of Distinctiveness

p. 88-96

3.  Fair Use and Parody

p. 106-111

D.  Trade Secrets

1.  General principles

p. 112-115

2.  Confidential business information

p. 115-119

III.  The International Framework

A.  Some social issues

p. 121-129

B.  Sources of international law

p. 131-138

C.  Copyrights under Berne

p. 296-318  

D.  Patents Under Paris

p. 319-335

E.  Trademarks Under Paris

p. 336-350

F.  Trade Secrets Under Paris

p. 351-353

G.  TRIPS

1.  Overview

p. 356-368

2.  Copyright Under TRIPS

p. 369-377

3.  Patents Under TRIPS

p. 378-392    

4.  Trademarks under TRIPS

p. 393-419   

5.  Trade Secrets under TRIPS

p. 420-428    

6.  Enforcement under TRIPS

p. 429-441    

E.  Formal Requirements for Protection under International Law

1.  Copyrights

p. 444-450

2.  Patents

p. 451-479

3.  Trademarks

p. 480-492

4.  Trade Secrets

p. 493

4.  Famous Trademarks

p. 495-542

IV.  International Enforcement

A.  Overview of enforcement issues

p. 580-616

B.  Differences in Infringement Standards

p. 619-655

C.  Remedies

p. 655-691

D.  Bilateral Enforcement

p. 721-738

E.  Compulsory Licenses

p. 741-782

V.  Hot Topics

A..  Internet Issues

p. 838-876

B.  Software and Business Methods

p. 914-957

C.  Databases

p. 958

D.  Cultural Rights

p. 1024-1045

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