Tobacco Trademarks in Peril: Australian Courts Can’t Be Bothered

The unreasonable expropriation of intellectual property or the advancement of public health? This was the question posed by Philip Morris Asia Limited v. The Commonwealth of Australia. In 2011, Australia passed its “plain packaging legislation,” creating restrictions on the fonts, size, colors, and location of tobacco brand marks on product packaging. The legislation also requires … Read more

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Where Do You Stand?

On February 4, 2016, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or “TPP”, was signed by the United States and eleven other countries as one of the most ambitious international trade deals in world history. Through its seven years of grueling negotiations, the criticism of this deal has been, for the lack of a better term, loud.  The TPP … Read more

The importance of protecting indigenous intellectual property rights

A Maori tribesman performing the Haka war dance in New Zealand. http://i.guim.co.uk/ Earlier this year, from March 30 to April 1, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) put on the Seminar on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions: Regional, National, and Local Experiences (Seminar).  Justice Joseph Williams of the High … Read more

Critical Analysis: Economic Espionage and International Law

Economic espionage involves a state’s attempts to covertly acquire trade secrets held by foreign private enterprises. Many countries have long considered economic espionage important to national security and economic development. Several economic trends have escalated the risk and prevalence of trade secret theft, including the globalization of trade and interconnected supply chains, the growing important … Read more