Copyright

Extension of term - European parliament votes to increase term of protection for sound recordings to 70 years – see: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/058-54192-111-04-17-909-20090422IPR54191-21-04-2009-2009-false/default_en.htm.

Fisher v Brooker [2009] UKHL 41 - http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2009/41.html. The House of Lords on 30 July 2009 overturned the Court of Appeal's decision that Mr Fisher was not entitled to a declaration of joint ownership of copyright in the musical work, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' on the grounds of laches and acquiescence and reinstated the decision of Blackburne J that Mr Fisher owned a 40% share of copyright in the work which entitled him to future royalties.

Fisher v Brooker – appealed to the House of Lords – see http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/22/law-popandrock - joint author of a musical work; whether declarations of joint ownership should be refused on grounds of acquiescence and laches.

Crosstown Music Company v Rive Droite Music Ltd and others [2009] EWHC 600 (Ch) at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2009/600.html - contractual assignment of copyright; reversion of title where breach of copyright.

Trade marks

Parallel imports
Case C-276/05, The Wellcome Foundation Ltd v Paranova Pharmazeutika Handels GmbH, ECJ judgment,OJ C 44 of 21.02.2009, p.2 –parallel imports of pharmaceuticals, repackaging.
Case C-59/08 Copad SA v Christian Dior couture SA, Vincent Gladel, as liquidator of Société industrielle lingerie (SIL) and Société industrielle lingerie (SIL), ECJ judgment, [2009] ETMR 40-exhaustion of rights, consent to resale, damage to reputation of the goods.

Bad faith
Case C-529/07, Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG v Franz Hauswirth GmbH, ECJ  Judgement of 11 June 2009-criteria relevant to determining when applicant is acting in bad faith.

Unfair advantage and comparative advertising
C-487-07 L’Oreal v Bellure , ECJ  Judgment of 18 June 2009-use in comparative advertising, taking unfair advantage of repute of a mark, impairmant of the functions of a trade mark, presentation of goods as imitations or replicas.

Patents

Edwards Lifesciences AG v Cook Biotech Incorporated [2009] EWHC 1304 (Pat) at http://alpha.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2009/1304.html - priority date, who is entitled to claim priority, lack of obviousness.

Folding Attic Stairs Ltd v The Loft Stairs Company Ltd  [2009] EWHC 1221 (Pat) at http://alpha.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2009/1221.html – claim construction, whether disclosure on private premises formed part of the prior art; lack of enabling disclosure.

Breach of confidence

The Author of a Blog v Times Newspapers Ltd [2009] EWHC 1358 (QB) - http://alpha.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2009/1358.html –whether pseudonymous blogger can prevent his identity being revealed; information did not have the necessary quality of confidence and did not give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy because blogging is a public activity.

IP and IT

Patenting of software

Bilski et al v Doll (08-964) The U.S. Supreme Court has granted certiorari see http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2009/06/bilski.html.

Peer-to-peer piracy

Pirate Bay founders held liable for copyright infringement - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8003799.stm.

Adwords
Interflora, Inc. Interflora British Unit v Marks and Spencer PLC Flowers Direct Online Limited [2009] EWHC 1095 (Ch) at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2009/1095.html - referral to ECJ on whether use of adwords constitutes trade mark infringement.

L'Oréal v eBay[2009] EWHC 1094 (Ch) at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2009/1094.html - trade mark infringement, parallel imports, counterfeit goods, adwords, referral to ECJ.

(Case C-91/09)Eis.de GmbH v BBY Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH OJ C 129 of 06.06.2009, p. 4 - referral to ECJ on adwords.