Copyright Enforcement Across Africa

Most African countries have their own IP laws, (some of which were inherited from colonial powers) or modified versions of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty. Many of these laws have proved ineffective against the debilitating effects of copyright infringement.

The protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property rights is pivotal to the development of the creative industry. In recognition of this, some African countries have tried to invigorate creative endeavour by reviewing extant […]

By | November 13th, 2018 ||

An Illustrated Guide To The USPTO’s New Memo On Method Of Treatment Claims

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has renewed the hopes of applicants looking to patent method of treatment claims. A recent memo from the USPTO (the “Memo”) provides guidance on method of treatment claims, suggesting that when correctly drafted, such claims should generally be considered patent eligible subject matter.

The Memo comes in direct response to the Federal Circuit’s decision in Vanda v. West-Ward, issued on April 13, 2018. In Vanda, the Court, inter alia, distinguished certain […]

By | November 10th, 2018 ||

Circuit Split Alert: U.S. Supreme Court To Decide Key Copyright Lawsuit Precondition

Do copyright owners need an issued copyright registration or only a pending application to enforce their copyright in federal court? The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide this question.

The Copyright Act provides that “no civil action for infringement of the copyright in any United States work shall be instituted until … registration of the copyright claim has been made ….”  The circuit courts of appeal that have considered this question reached different conclusions […]

By | November 7th, 2018 ||