The IPKat's Septembral weblog 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.  September is a good time to post such a reminder, what with students in many jurisdictions just starting their academic year, trainee and newly-qualified lawyers excitedly tucking their feet under the desks, and the judiciary getting down to some serious judging between now and the end-of-year break.

Kat figures

Since his weblog was launched in June 2003, the IPKat has welcomed over 4,235,000 visitors. He and Merpel look forward to welcoming even more, since visits to this website are up 40.15% over this time in 2011.  If the effort of clicking through is too strenuous, you can join the 7,541 people who currently receive their katposts by email, or you can follow the example of the 3,200+ folk who prefer to utilise an RSS feed. Whichever way you prefer it, the IPKat thanks you from the bottom of his heart for your support, your comments, your suggestions -- and even your criticisms.  Please be assured that the Kat's team of bloggers remains at the service of the IP communities and will do its best to inform, educate, stimulate and entertain (though not necessarily in that order).

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.  For the record, 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 1,489 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,124 items. It has a large and international team of contributors -- including Glastonbury Festival's Ben Challis and IPKat guest blogger Eleonora -- 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 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 1,537 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 434 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 1,098 email subscribers and a searchable database of 572 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 1,177 email subscribers and a searchable database of 904 items. Kats Neil and Jeremy write for this blog.

Class 46, founded by friends of European trade mark organisation MARQUES and driven by a 13-strong 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 2,948 email subscribers and a searchable database of over 3,000 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 has 640 email subscribers and a searchable database of 375 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. As of today, this blog has 705 email subscribers and a searchable database of 303 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 673 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,223 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.

IPTango (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 423 email subscribers and a searchable database of 1,127 items. Like Afro-IP, IPTango is a major source of intellectual property information and comment in its area of focus.

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 360 email subscribers and a searchable database of 241 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 252 items. This blog warmly invites expressions of interest from would-be bloggers (on which see 'Would you like to be an IP Blogger' below)

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.