Wednesday whimsies

The IPKat team just wants to say "thanks" to those kindly souls who felt that this weblog was worthy of inclusion in the ABA Journal's 4th Annual Blawg 100 Awards, among all those lovely American law blogs.  Not everybody likes or approves of these awards, it seems (see here), and one can certainly see why, but Kats are vain creatures and, in these tough times, a little harmless fun is certainly appreciated.


Have you ever wondered what the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) does in terms of its own IP enforcement?  An interested reader asked the Kats what they thought of this copyright notice, appended to a survey:

© Copyright World Intellectual Property Organization, 2010.  Certain rights reserved. WIPO authorizes the partial reproduction, translation and dissemination of this survey for non-commercial and non-profit scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that WIPO, the publication and the authors are properly identified and acknowledged. Permission to substantially reproduce, disseminate and/or translate this survey, or compile or create derivative works therefrom, in any form, whether for commercial/for profit or nonprofit purposes, must be requested in writing. For this purpose, WIPO may be contacted at www.wipo.int, under “Contact us”.

While this Kat was intrigued by the terminology of "Certain rights reserved" (unlike "Uncertain rights", which most copyright seems to be these days?), Merpel was curious about WIPO's enforcement policy.  Has the great organization ever gone to court, or to arbitration, in order to protect its rights? Can it even do so? Merpel has a hunch that this United Nations agency, under the WIPO Convention, enjoys in WIPO member states only "... such legal capacity as may be necessary for the fulfilment of the Organization’s objectives and for the exercise of its functions" (Article 12). These are defined in Articles 3 and 4 in suitably lofty terms, but do they include the enforcement of its own IP rights?

IPSoc, the organisation for dynamic, socially minded, ambitious and beautiful young intellectual property practitioners, holds its Winter Social on Wednesday 19 January 2011.  The venue is Amber [is that its name or its colour?], CityPoint, 1 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9AW and it starts at 6.30pm. For further information or to reserve a place, please email social@ipsoc.org. Their next event, on 15 February, stars one of England and Wales's most dynamic, socially minded, ambitious and beautiful young intellectual property judges, Colin Birss QC, speaking on "The Reformed Patents County Court: Opportunities for Junior IP Practitioners". Venue: Simmons & Simmons (CityPoint, as above). Time: 6.00pm (registration), talk 6.30pm (prompt) to 7.30pm, talk followed by Q&A and what dynamic, socially minded, ambitious and beautiful young intellectual property enthusiasts do best ...  This is however a serious event, so this time you have to email education@ipsoc.org to gain admission.  If you are a DSMA and BYIP person, but haven't yet joined, do so now, here.