The IPKat and his blogging friends -- a 2013 round-up

Regular readers will know that every few months the IPKat prints a bit of news about what his blog is up to, also reminding readers about some of the other blogs with which his contributors are involved.  Last week he announced some changes to the line-up of the regular blogging team and the appointment of two new guest Kats -- and now he has some further news.

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The Kat's blog friends

Every few months the IPKat lists some of the other blogs with which he and members of his blogging team have some connection, so that readers can check them out.  Regular readers of this weblog will know what's coming up and can nip off for a refreshing coffee -- but for the benefit of new and/or inattentive readers, and in no particular order, here they are:

The 1709 Blog, which caters for the copyright enthusiast and seeks to cover all aspects of copyright law and practice in all its rich and varied glory (http://the1709blog.blogspot.com/). As of today, this blog has 1,646 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,193 items. It has a large and international team of contributors -- including Glastonbury Festival's Ben Challis, IPKat blogger Eleonora and the dynamic Iona Harding (Baker & McKenzie) -- who are always pleased to learn and report on interesting and copyright developments from around the world.

The SPC Blog is a handy information source for anyone who is involved in the tiny but controversial and highly lucrative world of supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for pharmaceutical and plant protection patents, as well as other forms of patent term extension (http://thespcblog.blogspot.com/). As of today, this blog has 1,614 email subscribers, many of whom have enriched the content of this weblog with their comments and through the provision of information concerning SPCs. This blog contains 457 items, including English translations of some European national decisions that are not available elsewhere.

PatLit tackles patent dispute resolution topics -- principally litigation -- not just from the UK but from wherever interesting news and comments emerge. As of today, this blog has 1,139 email subscribers and a searchable database of 604 items.

IP Finance, which was launched in January 2008 in response to the UNCITRAL initiative on security interests in intangibles, touches that delicate interface between intellectual property and the world of finance, addressing securitisation, valuation, royalty rates, assessment of damages and the evolution of new business plans (http://ipfinance.blogspot.com/). As of today, this blog has 1,236 email subscribers and a searchable database of 935 items. Kats Neil and Jeremy write for this blog.

Class 46, founded by friends of European trade mark organisation MARQUES and driven by a big team of international contributors, delivers trade mark and brand-related news and developments from across Europe (http://www.marques.org/class46/). As of today, this blog has 3,048 email subscribers and a searchable database of 3,092 items -- mainly relating to European case law and office practice but with coverage of plenty of other themes too. Kats Jeremy and Birgit both contribute to this blog.

Class 99, founded by patent and trade mark attorney and blogmeister David Musker, is dedicated to design law and practice in the UK, in Europe and beyond (http://class-99.blogspot.com/). As of today, this blog -- which will eventually become part of the MARQUES social media family along with Class 46 --  has 710 email subscribers and a searchable database of 429 items.

jiplp is the blog of the leading Oxford University Press monthly publication, The Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice (JIPLP), which IPKat team member Jeremy (http://jiplp.blogspot.com/) edits, with fellow Kats Birgit and Neil on the editorial board, soon to be joined by Eleonora. As of today, this blog has 734 email subscribers and a searchable database of 334 items. This blog's content includes Current Intelligence notes, book reviews, requests for articles on specific topics and occasional guidance as to how to write (or not to write) good IP articles.

Afro-IP (http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/), for which the blogmeister is Darren Olivier, deals with the IP scene in Africa. As of today, this blog has 702 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,281 items. This blog, which offers the largest single searchable online source of recent African IP news, carries regular features by Kingsley Egbuonu on the current state of online information provision by national IP offices in Africa and how things have improved (or not) since his previous visit.

IP Tango (http://iptango.blogspot.com/), which is a bilingual blog with contributions both in Spanish and English, covers the increasingly important developments for IP in Latin America. As of today, this blog has 443 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,162 items. Like Afro-IP, IP Tango is a major source of intellectual property information and comment in its increasingly important area of focus (just look at the global sporting events that are heading Brazil's way in the next few years).

Art & Artifice (http://aandalawblog.blogspot.com/). As of today, this international weblog, led by Simone Blakeney (Clifford Chance LLP) and Rosie Burbidge (Rouse Legal), has 378 email subscribers and a searchable database of 271 items. Its scope is broad enough to cover not merely intellectual property law but other areas of legal concern for artists and the art-driven industries.

Bringing up the tail is SOLO IP, which reflects some of the interests, and the anguish, of those who practise IP by themselves or in small groups, or who work in environments in which they are the only IP people (http://soloip.blogspot.com/). As of today, this blog -- which is driven by blogmeister Barbara Cookson (Filemot Technology Law Ltd), has 176 email subscribers and a searchable database of 259 items. This blog warmly invites expressions of interest from would-be bloggers (on which see 'Would you like to be an IP Blogger' below)

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Would you like to be an IP blogger? Most of the weblogs listed above are still hoping to recruit some fresh talent into their blogging teams, as well as to host more good guest items from occasional writers. If you (i) have something valuable to say about IP, (ii) have some experience of IP in one form or another and (iii) think that you may be able to turn your hand at blogging (or already have some experience), do email Jeremy here, attaching or linking to your CV, and explain why you think you might be a good blogger.

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Don't forget Twitter!  IPKat team member Jeremy drives the Kat's Twitter account @Ipkat.  Class 46 tweets as @marques_ip and the jiplp can be found tweeting merrily on @JIPLP.