WEEKEND DELIGHTS

As ever, the IPKat brings you a selection of snippets to enjoy during those long, sad hours when the weekend comes between you and the work that is sitting expectantly on your desk, awaiting your attention ...

Name that duck! Isabel Davies (CMS Cameron McKenna) was one of the trilogy of lucky people who acquired a golden duck (left) on Wednesday night at the Stephen Stewart Memorial Lecture (IPKat report here). The proceeds of sale all went to the Intellectual Property Institute, which is a registered charity. Isabel has kindly agreed to sell the naming rights to her duck, also for the benefit of the Institute: this duck is destined to become the Law Society IP Working Party mascot in commemoration of the team's response to Gowers. If you'd like to name that duck, email the IPKat here with your bid [bidding opens at £20]. Best bids will be published on this blog from time to time. The closing date for bids is Friday 15 December.


The Filemot oracle speaks! What will the Gowers Review contain? See Barbara Cookson's predictions here. The IPKat's bursting to know what's coming - his crystal ball is too full of images of what he'd personally like and is therefore not much use for objective prophecy.


Pepsi 1, Ipsei 0. The UK Trade Mark Registry has upheld Pepsi's opposition to Coca-Cola's attempt to register IPSEI as a UK trade mark for beverages in Class 32. The 69 page decision, which includes great chunks of market survey evidence, is a whopper. Trade mark Titans Geoffrey Hobbs QC and Simon Thorley QC appeared for Pepsi and Coke respectively.

Well done, Mike Reynolds, says the IPKat - in the Special FX context of whether the Registry's opposition decisions should act as res judicata/estoppel to prevent the same issue being readjudicated in subsequent High Court cancellation proceedings, this ruling shows that a properly argued and evidenced dispute can be dealt with pretty well by the Registry.


Welcome, Yemen. A WIPO press release has just informed the IPKat that the Republic of Yemen has signed up for the Paris Convention on the Protection of Industrial Property Rights. Yemen is Paris-bound as of 15 February 2007, bringing the number of members to 170.

Right: Yemen, a country which has some remarkably striking architecture, makes a commitment to protecting innovation and creativity


WIPO logo competition. If you've nothing better to do, get busy with your entry for the IPKat's competition to design a new logo for the World Intellectual Property Organization. The prize? Free admission to CLT's excellent annual IP round-up conference. Details of the competition and the conference prize here.

Left: the Kat sits in judgment - his decision is final.

Finally, say the IPKat and Merpel - don't forget to have a lovely weekend ...