Innovation is a key driver of business. The intellectual property regimes operate to recognise and protect innovation or representational rights by granting limited monopoly rights encouraging research and development, intangible asset creation and entrepreneurship.

This course examines the key intellectual property rights granted by the statutory intellectual property regimes – trademarks, copyright, patents and designs – as well as the common law protection of confidential information and trade secrets. The protection of representational rights of trade designations, branding and character merchandising through the statutory misleading conduct action and the common law passing off action in tort is also covered as is the protection of business goodwill through restraint of trade covenants.

The exploitation of IPRs through licensing and technology transfer arrangements; and the protection of IPRs internationally, are also examined.