Welcome to the July issue of Licensing Executives Society Britain and Ireland's eflyer.

In this Issue

	LES NewsXchange™
	Ambush Marteting and the London Olympics 2012
	President’s Diary
	Controversial UK IPO fee increases
	FNM tries to use IP to stop contract manufacturers turning into competitors
	The European Commission's Pharmaceutical Sector Inquiry
	New Vertical Agreements Draft Block Exemption and Internet selling
	News from the Regions
	Should Creative Industry Licensing Deals Replace Government Design Interventions?
	LES International 2011 Meeting – London
	Events Diary

www.les-bi.org

www.lesi.org

Pass it on

Know anyone who might be interested in our eflyer?
Click to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once.

LES NewsXchange™

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LICENSING EXECUTIVES SOCIETY BRITAIN & IRELAND

Issue 128 September 2009

Ambush Marteting and the London Olympics 2012

Ambush marketing or guerrilla marketing is a term used to describe a brand which connects itself to a particular event without paying any sponsorship fees to be an official sponsor.
An official sponsor of an event, such as the Olympic Games, will pay a considerable sum of money by way of sponsorship fees. The success of these events depends upon the huge sums raised from sponsorship, ticketing and official merchandising. These payments fund the event.
 

Kirsten Toft, Virtuoso Legal

President’s Diary

I hope you have all had an enjoyable and restful summer, that the cricketing fans among you have recovered from the outcome of the Ashes series (having celebrated or drowned your sorrows -commiserations to our LES ANZ colleagues!), and that you have returned refreshed and eager to contribute to another busy year of LES activity.

Nigel Jones, President

***

Oxonica Energy Ltd v Neuftec Ltd, [2009] EWCA Civ 668, 9 July 2009

The Court of Appeal has handed down it’s judgment in the appeal from the High Court’s decision in Oxonica Energy Ltd v Neuftec Ltd (for a summary of the High Court’s decision please see my article in the November 2008 issue entitled ‘How to Cut & Paste Your Way To Court’).

Alice Proby, Charles Russell

Controversial UK IPO fee increases

Oh to be a Patent Office now that the recession is here! Despite operating at a substantial profit1, the UK IPO is proposing swingeing across-the-board increases in official patent fees2. Where will the money go? Are UK inventors being asked to subsidize over-generous and ever-increasing UK IPO and EPO staff benefits while private industries are having to tighten their collective belts?

Barry Quest

FNM tries to use IP to stop contract manufacturers turning into competitors

A recent decision from the UK Patents Court illustrates how IP can be used to try to control a contract manufacturing relationship. It also provides a reminder, if any were needed, that confidential formulation information can lose its confidential status when a product incorporating the formulation is put on the market. FNM Corporation Ltd v Drammock International Ltd & Anor [2009] EWHC 1294 (Pat) (15 June 2009).

Ian Hartwell, Asivu Limited

The European Commission's Pharmaceutical Sector Inquiry

The European Commission’s high profile investigation into the behaviour of companies operating in the pharmaceutical sector culminated in the publication of a Final Report on 8th July 2009. The main rationale for the Commission’s investigation was specifically to learn more about company practices which can cause delay to the entry on to the market of cheaper generic medicines.

Dr Duncan Curley, Innovate Legal

New Vertical Agreements Draft Block Exemption and Internet selling

Every ten years the EU updates its block exemption regulations. In July it issued new versions of the block exemptions for vertical agreements and accompanying guidelines and consulted on the replacement to the motor vehicle distribution block exemption. It is also consulting on the new R&D and specialisation block exemption regulations and guidelines.

Susan Singleton, Singletons

News from the Regions

The Irish High Court decision of Glaxo Group Ltd v Patents Act recently found that an Irish patent for asthma medicine should be disallowed. Mr. Justice Charleton concluded that the subject matter was not patentable in that it did not involve an inventive step...

Latest news from the LES B&I Regions.

Should Creative Industry Licensing Deals Replace Government Design Interventions?

Misinterpretation of the Cox Review could Prompt a Change in Approach

Since the launch in 2005 of the Cox Review of Creativity in Business, which laid down firm guidelines regarding the value of design to industry, a plethora of design and innovation initiatives have sprung up claiming to uphold and implement Sir George Cox’ recommendations.

Maxine J Horn, British Design Innovation

LES International 2011 Meeting – London

LES B&I have won the bid to be host chapter for the 2011 LESI Annual Conference. This will be held in London from 4th-8th June 2011 and we are already well into the planning of the conference. This is a great opportunity for LES B&I and we are looking for speakers and contributors to make it a success. As Nigel Jones has mentioned in his “President’s Diary” it is a great opportunity to participate in a major international conference – there is a lot to be gained…

Anne Lane, Chair of the Planning Committee

Events Diary

Dates for your Diary 2009 / 2010.