Contributing Lawyers

Canada

Cyndee Todgham Cherniak

United States

Susan Kohn Ross

Australia

Andrew Hudson

Canada's Export & Import Controls Bureau Launches Consultations on Encryption Technology

On March 8, 2010, Canada's Export & Import Controls Bureau of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (the "EICB") announced it is engaging in consultations with interested Canadian companies and wishes to...

Reading the Tea Leaves in the EU-India FTA Negotiations to Anticipate Issues for Canada-EU CETA

News Centre reports that India and the EU free trade agreement negotiators will meet next week after the Canadian delegation leaves Brussels. The India-Eu FTA negotiations started in 2007 and the negotiators are on the Seventh...

Canada - EU CETA Update: Copyright

The Wire Report is reporting that the EU is pressuring Canada in the second Round of Canada - European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement negotiations to make significant amendments to Canada's copyright laws....

TRADE Act Proposed

The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act, TRADE Act, H.R. 3012, mandates review of all international trade agreements currently in force, establishes new standards and requirements for future trade...

WTO Panel Decision in China Publications & Audiovisual Case Important

On August 12, 2009, the WTO issued the DSB Panel Decision in DS363 "China — Measures Affecting Trading Rights and Distribution Services for Certain Publications and Audiovisual Entertainment Products". To obtain a copy of the...

Canada's Privacy Commissioner Issues Report Facebook Needs to Improve Privacy Practices

On July 16, 2009, Canada's Privacy Commissioner issued a news release entitled " facebook needs to improve privacy practices, investigation finds". A copy of the news release may be found at the following link -...

USTR Wants Canada to Implement IP Protection at Border - Canadian Trade Lawyers Cheer

The Obama administration added Canada Thursday to a notorious intellectual property blacklist of countries. One of the key issues is Canada's lack of border enforcement of copyright. Washington wants Canada to put an...

Registered design allows action against imports infringing that design

The decision of the Australian Federal Court in LED Technologies Pty Ltd v Elecspress Pty Ltd allowed an action brought by a local of holder of registered designs against the importers of goods produced overseas in breach of the...

Seizure of Counterfeit Goods on the Rise/Identity Theft Increasing, Too

Local Customs is fond of saying that about half the intellectual property rights seizures in the U.S. occur at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach. Nonetheless, stories about significant counterfeit seizures are being publicized...

Canada Introduces Electronic Commerce Protection Act to Stop Spam

On April 24, 2009, Canada's Minister of Industry announced that the government has introduced Bill C-27 An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage...

Supply Chain Pirates

In an article entitled: "Pirates to Worry You: Chinese Manufacturing Partners," on April 16, 2009, Thomas Wailgum of Computer World reports on the results of a survey which finds that Chinese manufacturing partners are...

Canada's Report Card in New USTR Report

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has submitted to Congress its 2009 Trade Policy Agenda and 2008 Annual Report of the President of the United States on the Trade Agreements Program. This document outlines...

Canada and Brazil Signed a Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Agreement

We are late to report that on November 17, 2008, Canada and Brazil signed the Canada-Brazil Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation. This is a step in the right direction - increasing trade...

Geist Post on WTO Panel Decision in China IP Case

Professor Michael Geist has posted a very insightful review of the WTo Panel Report in "China - Measures Affecting the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights" - see the following link...

U.S. Customs Seized $273M in Counterfeit / Pirated Goods in 2008

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) reported an increase of 38% in the value of counterfeit goods the department seized in 2008 compared with 2007, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers...

Chinese Courts Punish Software Pirates

Many clients and potential clients have correctly asked whether China enforces its intellectual property laws.  I am pleased to report a real case of jail time to Chinese infringers of software copyright - a sign that IPR...