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06 October 2022
Near enough is good enough: Full Federal Court of Australia revisits construction of “about” in patent claim
In the area of patent law, clarity is king. Where precision of language is essential for defining the limits and scope of legal rights, the acceptance within Australia of unbounded terms such as “about” in patent claims (unlike other major jurisdictions such as Europe) seems almost anomalous.
23 December 2021
Is it game over for computer-implemented inventions in Australia?
The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia has provided some clarity on assessing whether computer-implemented inventions constitute patentable subject matter, finding that Aristocrat’s patent claims to electronic gaming machines with particular gaming features were not a “manner of...
16 February 2021
Patent and Pharma update, February 2021
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector. In this edition we cover an important decision on sufficiency in England & Wales. We also cover several significant updates from the French courts, including two important decisions on...
26 May 2020
Has the Full Court 'Rokt' the boat
Commissioner of Patents v Rokt Pte Ltd [2020] FCAFC 86 is the most recent in a string of decisions by the Full Court of the Federal Court in which the Court has yet again rejected a computer-implemented invention in this instance a digital advertising system and method as patentable subject matter.
12 May 2020
Patent and Pharma Update, May 2020
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector In this update we welcome our new IP partner in Germany. We have a number of interesting updates from the UK Court of Appeal, including a decision on Arrow declarations, a competition decision...
10 February 2020
Patent and Pharma Update, February 2020
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector In this issue we report on the Supreme Court decision of Shanks v Unilever on employee inventor compensation. We update on two CJEU decisions relation to public access to documents submitted...
22 October 2019
Patent and Pharma Update, October 2019
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector In this issue we provide updates from the CJEU on SPCs: in one case the CJEU has declined to consider a referral from the UK while in another the Advocate General has issued his opinion on the...
12 September 2019
ACCC issues guidance on competition risks in IP transactions: Beware the inadvertent cartel
The ACCC has issued final Guidelines on how Australia’s competition laws will apply to intellectual property assignments and licences following the repeal of the ‘IP exemption’ from prohibitions on anti-competitive conduct which was contained in subsection 51(3) of the Competition and Consumer Act...
11 July 2019
Patent and Pharma Update, July 2019
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector In this issue we report on the implementation of the controversial SPC waiver, as well as a new SPC referral from the Swedish Court of Appeal. We consider a change to the Patents Court Guide...
05 April 2019
Patent and Pharma Update, April 2019
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector This issue reports on the recent UK Supreme Court decision in the tadalafil case, which foreshadows how English courts will probably respond to issues of obviousness arising from patents...
11 December 2018
Patent and Pharma Update, December 2018
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector This issue reports on several ground-breaking decisions from the UK courts on second medical use patents and skinny labels, infringement by equivalents and the possibility of global FRAND...
15 November 2018
Draft Withdrawal Agreement Approved by UK Cabinet – IP and Marketing Authorisation Provisions Summarised
As has been widely reported, the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (the Draft Withdrawal Agreement ), detailing the arrangements for the UK to leave the EU was agreed by the...
22 October 2018
France adopts a confidentiality regime for the trade secrets relied upon in (patent) litigation
As part of the French Law on the Protection of Trade Secrets dated 31 July 2018 , French lawmakers have finally adopted a long-awaited array of confidentiality rules covering the trade secrets that are being relied upon in cases that come before civil and commercial courts. Such provision was a...
11 October 2018
Patent and Pharma Update, October 2018
Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector The CJEU has provided its preliminary ruling in Teva v Gilead on the meaning of Article 3(a) in the context of a medicinal product composed of several active ingredients. It has also clarified...
26 September 2018
Brexit “no deal” technical notices published on intellectual property and life sciences sector issues
The latest tranche of “no deal” technical notices was released yesterday afternoon by the UK Government. Amongst them are several notices that highlight the Brexit issues faced by intellectual property right owners and, in some cases, confirm the Government’s approach to resolving them. The...
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30 November 2022
On Just Terms Podcast Series
Australia is a litigious country - we meet with Australia's leading legal and commercial minds to discuss how to manage the corporate risk landscape. Join host Jason Betts, Disputes Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, as he interviews the people on the front lines of this changing environment.
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A new normal: data governance and internal stakeholder alignment
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