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IP Law

  • Fundamentals of Copyright Law  

    Instructor: Danny Friedmann

    Technological innovations, such as AI bots such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, Stable Diffusion, but also NFTs and the blockchain, are in the process of disrupting the cultural and creative industries ecosystem. This course is looking at how the copyright system in the US, EU and China are coping with these challenges.  
    The Chinese Government is aiming to become a ‘powerful intellectual property country by 2035’ (中共中央 国务院发布《知识产权强国建设纲要(2021-2035年)》) http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2021-09/22/content_5638714.htm. It explicitly calls for the development of IP-talent. Around 15 percent of STL graduates already find work in the field of IP, according to Dean Zhang Chenli.
    Copyright law protects and enforces an expanding universe of subject matter: literary and artistic works, music, photography, cinematography, architecture, software etc. Next to the exclusive rights of reproduction, distribution, translation, adaption, and communication to the public, this course is dealing with how primary and secondary liability arise.
    The landmark cases of copyright law will be studied, the leading copyright doctrines, such as originality, aesthetic neutrality, fair use, parody, transformation, and the idea/expression dichotomy. 

  • Fundamentals of Trademark Law  

    Instructor: Danny Friedmann

    This course will deal with the trademark systems of the most powerful economies of the world, and compares the ‘first to use’ system of the US with the ‘first to register’ systems in the EU and China. Trademarks are indispensable for companies to compete, to guarantee consumer quality and safeguard investments.

    The Chinese Government is aiming to become a ‘powerful intellectual property country by 2035’ (中共中央 国务院发布《知识产权强国建设纲要(2021-2035年)》) http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2021-09/22/content_5638714.htm. It explicitly calls for the development of IP-talent. Around 15 percent of STL graduates already find work in the field of IP, according to Dean Zhang Chenli.

    A trademark protects the “face” of a company, often its most valuable asset. In the case of Apple, Amazon or Alphabet it symbolizes the goodwill representing billions of US dollars. China is the top filer for trademarks in the US. The course deals with distinctiveness, descriptiveness and genericism, important trademark concepts. On the one hand claims of trademark infringement based on a likelihood of confusion or dilution and on the other hand defenses such as classic fair use and nominative fair use and parody will be covered in this course.


  • International Intellectual Property  

    Instructor: Joy Xiang

    International Intellectual Property explores how to obtain and enforce intellectual property rights globally. We will discuss principal international IP treaties, trade agreements, and dispute resolution systems relating to patents, copyrights, trademarks, and related rights.

    This course aims to enable students to obtain a systematic understanding of international intellectual property systems. We achieve this through, for example, 1) comparing different countries’ approaches to principle concepts in patent law, copyright law, trademark law, and other IP laws, and 2) determining countries’ compliance with standards established by major international IP treaties. The course also aims to train students to analyse complex global IP problems via exam-taking and in-class practice using problems assigned as part of the reading assignments.

    To take this course, you need to have taken IP Survey, or at least one of Chinse IP, patent law, copyright law, trademark law, or equivalent. Otherwise, please obtain the Professor’s permission before registering for this course.

  • IP Survey — Survey of U.S. IP Laws  

    Instructor: Joy Xiang

    This course (also called IP Survey) provides an in-depth overview of four major U.S. IP laws — patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademarks.  For each of these four laws, the course examines its historical development, the underlying policy motivations, the fundamental concepts, and the current practice in the U.S. jurisdiction.  When time permits, we may also explore how these IP laws interrelate with each other and with international IP regimes. The course includes a simulation project where students work in a team to advise on a fictitious client’s IP needs, apply the IP laws’ fundamental concepts, and learn basic IP and client counseling skills.  Anyone interested in IP can take the course; no science or technical background necessary.   

    This course is an ideal pre-requisite for the International Intellectual Property course.

  • Patent Law I: Granting Patent Rights  

    Instructor: Joy Xiang

    Patent Law I and Patent Law II are for students who intend to focus their practice on patent law and students preparing for a legal career with other focuses and wanting to understand a patent system. Intellectual properties, especially patents, play an increasingly important role in developing domestic economies and participating in global trade. Hence, those practicing in other areas of law and even those functioning in the non-legal capacities will face intellectual property and patent issues at some point in their careers. Understanding patent law is especially useful to those representing or working for technology companies. That said, the study of patent law can be demanding. The legal doctrines of patent law are intricate and complex. Meanwhile, patent law can involve cutting-edge technology with complex scientific and technical principles.

    Patent Law I is a pre-requisite for Patent Law II. Patent Law I focuses on law and principles for granting patent rights; Patent Law II focuses on law and principles for enforcing patent rights. Together, they will provide you a systematic understanding of a typical patent law system, in this case, the U.S. patent law system. You do not need a technical background to take the courses; however, you should be open to learning about the inventions you will encounter in reading the cases and doing the assignments throughout the course.

  • Patent Law II: Enforcing Patent Rights  

    Instructor: Joy Xiang

    Patent Law I and Patent Law II are for students who intend to focus their practice on patent law and students preparing for a legal career with other focuses and wanting to understand a patent system.  Intellectual properties, especially patents, play an increasingly important role in developing domestic economies and participating in global trade.  Hence, those practicing in other areas of law and even those functioning in the non-legal capacities will face intellectual property and patent issues at some point in their careers.  Understanding patent law is especially useful to those representing or working for technology companies.  That said, the study of patent law can be demanding.  The legal doctrines of patent law are intricate and complex.  Meanwhile, patent law can involve cutting-edge technology with complex scientific and technical principles. 

    This course, along with Patent Law I, will provide a systematic discussion of a typical patent law system, in this case, the U.S. patent law system. Patent Law I focuses on law and principles for granting patent rights; Patent Law II focuses on law and principles for enforcing patent rights. You do not need a technical background to take the course; however, you should be open to learning about the inventions you will encounter in reading the cases and doing the assignments throughout the course.

    To take this course, you need to have taken Patent Law I or its equivalent. Otherwise, please obtain the Professor’s permission before registering for the course.

  • 中国知识产权法 (Chinese IP Law)  

    本课程主要讲述知识产权基本原理以及版权法、商标法、专利法的基础理论与案例。本课程主要采用讲授、讨论的方式,有经典的基础理论,也有国内外代表性案例的评析。通过本课程的学习,学生可以对知识产权法专业方向的主干领域有较深入了解,初步掌握运用知识产权规则的方法,具备观察和解决知识产权领域中理论与实际问题的基本能力。