Monday miscellany

Around the weblogs. The jiplp weblog carries a list of seven recent intellectual property law titles that are in need of a review. If you feel that you would be the ideal reviewer, get in touch. Kinglsey Egbuonu's A to Z country-by-country trawl of official African IP websites for Afro-IP has led him this week to Rwanda, whose pretty flag is matched by some encouraging news concerning IP online.  The 1709 Blog carries an urgent plea for a small degree of support for an outside body to cooperate with some university-sponsored PhD copyright research, here. PatLit brings news of an important decision from a Madrid Court that clarifies the evidential status of non-Spanish language evidence of prior art that is accessible in Spain from online databases.

PICTFOR provides a potent
cocktail of speakers ...

Recently published.  The What are you doing tomorrow? If you've nothing better, there's a seminar at the House of Commons, "“Hargreaves’ Review: The Rights of Consumers and Creators under UK Copyright Law”. The speakers are Jim Dowd MP, Mike Holderness (Chair, the Creators’ Rights Alliance), Gwen Thomas (Consultant, Association of Photographers) and Saskia Walzel (Senior Policy Advocate, Consumer Focus). In the chair is Alun Michael MP, PICTFOR [that's the Parliamentary Internet and Communications Forum]. The whole thing runs from 6.00pm to 7.30pm, followed by a drinks reception. If you're going, here's how to get in. Leave a good half an hour for security procedures.  To reserve your free place, email admin@pictfor.org.uk -- and say the IPKat sent you.

IPKat bargains, sort of.  Legal conferences are very expensive for most of the readers of this weblog, which is why the IPKat is happy to negotiate the occasional special deal with conference organisers which makes them that little bit cheaper.  In case you've not been checking the Forthcoming Events page as often as you might, the Kat takes this opportunity to remind you of three reduced rate offers that are available to his readers:

3 to 4 April 2012: "U.S. Patent Reform: Consequences for European Practitioners", organised by FORUM. Venue: Hilton Patk Hotel, Munich, Germany. Strong cast of speakers includes David Kappos, Q. Todd Dickinson and some leading European patent personalities. Programme here. IPKat readers can enjoy a 10% saving on the normal registration fee: just click here, register your interest and follow the on-screen instructions. 

24 April 2012: "Advertising and Marketing Law Conference 2012", this being IBC's second annual conference on the topic. Venue: Millennium Hotel, Knightsbridge, London. Speakers from the public and regulatory sectors, industry, private practice and the marketing sector. IPKat readers can enjoy a 10% saving on the normal registration fee: just quote VIP Katcode FKW82267IPKL and visit the conference website here. 

25 April 2012: Defamation and Privacy 2012: Find out how the latest press regulation will affect you, so join your colleagues at Defamation and Privacy -- the essential event for media lawyers, now returning for its 25th year.  A startling array of six QCs (have they no work?), including Andrew Caldecott QC, plus leading speakers from the press, academe and private practice will be analysing critical case law for your education and entertainment. IPKat readers can enjoy a 10% saving on the normal registration fee: just quote VIP Katcode FKW82265IPKL and visit the conference website here.