Copyright WorldThe December 2005/January 2006 issue of Informa's Copyright World has now been published. It leads with a piece by Withers' solicitors Hugh Devlin and Romain Dourlen on the subtle difference between fashion-inspired clothes design and direct copying. The IPKat has never understood the fashion market. If no-one copies you, it means you're unfashionable; if everyone copies you, you sue - but it's the fact that others copy you that makes you the fashion trendsetter. Merpel adds: is there a prize for most annoying law firm website? If so, can I nominate Withers?
There's also a report on the UK's ratification of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty by Manches' Alasdair Taylor and a useful article by Lovells' Wolfgang Büchner and Thomas Schafft on some recent German decisions on internet-based personal video recorders which seem to make rather heavy weather of some fairly unexceptional factual situations.
Welcome, Human...
There's a new blog on the block: Justin Patten's Human Law. The blog is named after the law firm that Justin (right) established in 2002. His particular interest is the interplay between law, technology and people and his practice takes in both trade marks and domain names.Here's what Justin has to say on the subject of copyright infringement when best-selling journalist/author Thomas Friedman attacks piracy but appears to make an unlicensed use of this painting (left) by Ed Miracle on the cover of his book The World is Flat. Incidentally, Ed has instructed Justin in this matter.
The IPKat welcomes all new IP blogs and wishes Justin the best of luck.