LAW M28 - Intl Intellectual Property

Much commerce crosses international borders; a good portion of that commerce comprises copyrightable material like books, movies, and music, or patentable materials like machinery and pharmaceutical drugs; even more of it is sold under one or more trademarks. International commerce gives rise to international questions and disputes: may a U.S. patent holder enforce a patent in Spain? May a U.S. website operator publish photographs of French fashion designs when those designs are copyrighted in France but not in the U.S.? This course examines questions like these, with attention to fundamental underlying questions such as how intellectual property rights are obtained, how they are enforced, how they are lost, what country’s law applies to international disputes, and what country’s courts have jurisdiction over such disputes. Prior courses in intellectual property law will be helpful, but are not a prerequisite.