Below is a series of resources I recommend to law students and those on vacation schemes who are interested in IP.
Useful websites:
Copyright user
A good first port of call for any copyright questions – although it is aimed at sixth form, rather than undergrad, it covers a good number of topics and communicates the concepts effectively, with a few importance cases as well.
IPKat
The top IP blog in my opinion – the best place to get commentary on all the recent UK and European decisions and news on up coming events – a must read for any IP enthusiast (see if you can find the articles I’ve written).
The I.P.ologist
My email newsletter on all things IP
Bailii (for IPEC cases)
IPEC is a specialist court for IP matters and although the High Court deals with the more valuable cases, the regular stream of IP cases is worth reading to stay up to date on the state of the law. The is no substitute for reading the law reports.
BAILII – Intellectual Property Enterprise Court
UKIPO Trade Mark decisions
The TM decisions are a great place to see recent outcomes of oppositions and understand how Appointed Persons come to their decisions on issues like likelihood of confusion, and distinctiveness. The more you read of them, the more you’ll see the same cases come up.
Intellectual Property Office – Decisions
UKIPO collaboration resources
The UKIPO also has a set of online resources. They have not been updated since 2018, but are well worth reviewing when entering into a collaboration.
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/ip-support/welcome
The alternative IP reading list
Too busy for books on IP? Well I’ve got you covered, below are a few films and TV shows that look at IP issues. Some of them are a bit out there, but if you combine them with other resources they make a lot of sense. Disclaimer: not all of the IP elements of these these films and tv shows are accurate so they are not to be relied on, only used for context.
Big Bang Theory (tv show) – patents – The Application Deterioration S09E18 – this episode, right from the off highlights some of the pitfalls when obtaining a patent – ownership shares, university involvement, friends working together – is a good intro to issues of IP co-ownership and patents.
The Boat that Rocked (film) – copyright – this British comedy looks at a fictional pirate radio which bares a striking resemblance to radio Caroline, a pirate radio from the 60s. It’s a good way to provoke thoughts on the way the music industry is run and what it truly means to be a ‘pirate’ especially when no laws are being broken (at least to begin with).
Little Women (film) – copyright – you do have to watch the whole of this brilliant film before you get to any IP, but the book negotiation scene at the end of the film takes a brief look at the commercial incentives (and risks) of assigning copyright ownership vs taking a licence.
The Founder (film) – franchising – the origin story of McDonalds is sad, dramatic, and a comprehensive cautionary tale on the importance of protecting business critical confidential information.
American Gangster – film – trade marks – clip re Blue Magic and Trade Mark exhaustion – this discussion over the ownership of a product and the trade mark associated with it is a brilliant explanation of trade mark exhaustion rights. Yes it related to illegal drugs. However, by identifying Blue Magic as a brand name and explaining that by selling a different product under that brand name, someone is doing something wrong, it highlights when trade mark rights end. If you buy a can of coke do you own coke? Could or should Coca Cola be able to stop you if you dilute Coca Cola and sell it using the trade mark?
Big eyes (film) – copyright, moral rights – a biographical film about a husband taking credit for the work of his wife, the American artist Margaret Keane. Watching it will make you think about moral rights, such as the right to attribution, and how important they are to creative people.
Flash of Genius (film) – patents- this true story of the development of the intermittent windshield wiper and the long court battle that followed its invention is a classic tale of patent ownership.
The Man Who Fell to Earth (film) – patents – this important science fiction film, staring David Bowie, includes the patenting of inventions (of advanced alien technology) but shows that being the owner of a patent portfolio, and the wealth it generates, may not bring you happiness (or a flight back to your home planet), particularly if the government gets involved.
The Current War (film) – patents – a look at the business duel between Edison and Westinghouse over electricity which took place in the boardroom and the patent examiners office.
Joy, (film staring Jennifer Lawrence) – patents – this film is loosely based on the life of Joy Mangano, an American inventor and entrepreneur who is a named inventor in over 70 patents, in particular, the miracle mop.
Cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2 (film) – it’s all about inventing unique machines (may not be too strong on the actual IP though).
John Shaw 