Does your firm need a hosted backup service?

January 14, 2014

As the majority of law firm owners and partners will be aware, a database can have a number of benefits. Not only can they help in being compliant with Lexcel or another standard but they can also ensure that no client information is lost, mislaid or added to the wrong file. In short, having a […]

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An Overview of DuPont v. Kolon Industries (2011)

December 28, 2013

In September 2011, American-based Dupont was awarded $920 million following a court decision in the case of DuPont v. Kolon Industries. The decision was based on the court’s opinion that Kolon Industries had stolen trade secrets from DuPont regarding the material known as Kevlar. Kevlar, which is used in a variety of functions from bicycle […]

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What is the Robots Exclusion Standard?

December 15, 2013

Different types of web robots—also known as Internet bots—routinely and automatically “crawl” the Internet, fetching and indexing website pages. There’s a standard that regulates this type of activity, preventing robots from partly or fully accessing websites. This convention is known as the Robots Exclusion Standard, but how many robots are there in the world? HISTORY […]

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Advice On How To Protect Your Intellectual Property

December 11, 2013

So you have composed that perfect song, invented that must-have kitchen tool or perhaps designed a new software programme. Of course you want to profit from these creations of your mind and intellect. However, protection of your intellectual property is no easy business. Indeed, it is a minefield of complex laws and practices. In today’s […]

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What To Do When Your Chinese Trademark Application is Rejected?

December 6, 2013

In applying for a trademark registration, there are certain factors that can spell rejection or approval. Based on the Chinese trademark law, qualified elements for trademark registration are, any visual symbols able to identify the products and services of a legal person or company from others within the market. These symbols include words, letters, figures […]

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Publication of state laws blocked: copyright vs. freedom of expression?

October 17, 2013

Credit to Howard Knopf (@howardknopf) for bringing this story to my attention. The relationship between copyright and freedom of expression is often overlooked. Yet these two legal spheres can interact at a delicate nexus. There is an inherent tension between copyright and free expression; a grant of copyright is also a grant to control a […]

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How can Intellectual Property be Enforced?

October 16, 2013

Once a legal right to intellectual property, either by way of copyright, trademark, registered design or patent has been granted then the owner of that property has the right to take legal action against any person who violates their rights under intellectual property law. This is known as IP Infringement and falls into the same […]

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Recent Notable Trademark Cases in the U.S.

October 16, 2013

Trademarks are an important piece of intellectual property for businesses. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Washington, D.C., a trademark is defined as, ” …a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination thereof, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” […]

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A Brief History of the United States Department of Commerce

October 15, 2013

The U.S. Department of Commerce is a cabinet-level department of the United States Government. The mission of the Commerce Department is to promote and encourage business development through growth, entrepreneurship, and partnerships with business and higher education. The department manages an annual budget of $7.5 billion and employs approximately 47,000 individuals around the world. The […]

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Software patent-eligibility under Australian law

October 15, 2013

Recent dicta clarify the patent-eligibility of software, and broaden the range of software that may be considered patentable, under Australian law. Australian law has long required an “artificially created state of affairs which is of utility in practical affairs and whose significance thus is economic” for an alleged invention to be patentable. Case law has […]

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