Columns
In many industries patent litigation isa fact of business life. It thereforeneeds to be treated as such by bothcompany managements and investors
Do not be surprised to see a dayin the not too distant future whenpatents become valuableinsurance tools
The introduction of a unitarypatent system for Europe seemsas far away as ever after the EUCompetitiveness Council’s failureon 11th March to adopt theRegulation establishing theCommunity patent
Features
Any successful IP programme requires the backing of those at the top of anorganisation. But how do people with no background in the area begin tounderstand the issues involved? One solution is to talk about patents in termsof real estate. An added bonus is that thinking in this way can bring aboutradical changes to portfolio management strategies. By Craig Opperman
The Madey v Duke decision may well fundamentally alter the relationshipbetween academia and industry in the United States. In the process, it lookslikely to force universities to re-evaluate the way in which they approach themanagement of their IP portfolios. By Daniel McCurdy and Thomas Reynolds
Bankruptcy is a threat that most companies tend to ignore until it is too late.However, proper forecasting and subsequent planning can help fend offproblems before they occur. And intellectual property has a key role to play.By Sam Khoury and Paul Malz
A lawyer’s involvement in any business transaction is justified only to the extentthe transaction is worth more as a result of his or her participation. But how docompanies decide when this is actually the case? By Peter Gardner
Sustainable licensing programmes cannot rely on the piecemeal release oftechnology and intellectual property. Instead, it is essential to maintain aconstant focus on the needs of the end customer. If this is to be done properlyin most businesses, a willingness to partner with outside organisations iscrucial. By Jay Kshatri
Insights
Europe has a major credibility problem when it comesto intellectual property. In many cases, the rhetoric ofpoliticians does not match their deeds. Recent eventshave merely served to emphasise this point once again
There were record numbers at this year’sAUTM conference in San Antonio. Themessage they received from keynotespeakers was that a sense ofcomplacency could lead to the erosion ofthe rights they enjoy as a result of theBayh-Dole Act.
