561: The Copyright War

All the Irish fuss over a silly little book and the first ever copyright case.

last updated Sunday, November 13, 2011

Berne Convention on International Copyright

In the law of intellectual property and copyright in particular, the world would be the Wild West were it not for the Berne Convention.

last updated Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Canada's Private Recording of Music Copyright Blackout - Let The Internet Music Play

Canada's novel approach to copyright of private recording of audio and music, legal in exchange for a levy on blank media. Circa 2010, still with no copycats, it remains a Canada-only solution.

last updated Sunday, November 13, 2011

Canada's Super Trade-mark; Section 9 Trade-marks

The superhero of intellectual property, a government's use of trademark law for its own purposes. Canada's super trademark is hated or loved but always called the "Section 9 trade-mark".

last updated Sunday, November 13, 2011

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements

Confidential or non-dosclsure agreements are not magic bullets against the horrific consequences of accidental or intentional access to your company's sensitive data but it's an absolutely necessary first step.

last updated Monday, May 10, 2010

Copyright

Copyright law for beginners.

last updated Sunday, November 13, 2011

Copyright Law: The History

The history of copyright law.

last updated Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Copyright: Duration and Term of Copyright Protection

The term and duration of copyright protection, with a round-up of the laws of several common law jurisdictions.

last updated Monday, February 08, 2010

Domain Name Law

The law of Internet domain names; URLs, and the uneasy marriage with trade-mark law.

last updated Saturday, September 04, 2010

Patents

Patents are little legal robots with 20-year life spans that give inventors monopolies for their original machines. They are handy and very valuable little devices and have made - and continue to make - many an "old money" fortune.

last updated Sunday, September 27, 2009

Trade Secrets - Intellectual Property's Secret Weapon

You'd have to be crazy or stupid to run or manage a business without a basic knowledge of the law behind trade secrets.

last updated Saturday, February 18, 2012

Trade-marks (aka Trademarks)

Trade-marks are used by persons selling goods or services to distinguish these from those of others.

last updated Sunday, November 13, 2011

Universal Copyright Convention

This international treaty, along with its alternate, the Berne Convention, forms a one-two punch to assert copyright worldwide.

last updated Wednesday, January 18, 2012

WIPO Copyright Treaty (1996)

Yet another international copyright treaty but this time, aimed at computerized documents.

last updated Wednesday, January 18, 2012