Celebrate 120 years of AIPPI in Sydney

The AmeriKat has never managed to get her paws to Australia.  The farthest she has ever been south of the equator was her trip to Rio two years ago where her sightseeing consisted of a blurry glance of Christ the Redeemer on the way back to the airport.  But this year, she gets to make the trip to sunny Sydney - the host city for the 120th AIPPI Annual Congress from 13-17 October 2017.  .

This year's program has something for everyone, with panel highlights including:

• Sufficiently plausible -  where a panel of experts will address the IP headline grabbing issues of plausibility in the life science context - is it really a problem, how can the challenges be addressed, is the "patent promise" being broken?  

• The best kept (trade secret): a real life scenario  - guided by experts joining us from across the globe, the audience becomes adviser as a rogue ex-employee traverses the globe with a company's valuable trade secrets in tow - will they catch him in time?

• Injunctions:  innovator v innovator - where, in light of Amgen v Sanofi, a panel will debate the appropriate relief where innovators compete in the same field and infringement is found.

• Digital health - your health on (the) line - where a panel  will focus on the both the technology and the related IP issues and provide examples of where IP has been successfully utilized in this new and exciting field. One aspect which will be considered is how IP has enabled startups and SMEs to gain a foothold in the healthcare sector, which has previously been dominated by larger, more-established companies.

• The business of IP - Big Data, big issues - where a session will explore the relevance and application of current IP laws to Big Data, whether they meet industry needs, and whether there are any alternative models.

• The middleman - intermediary liability - a session which will discuss intermediary liability in the digital world in key jurisdictions, including the availability of site blocking injunctions and address the practical effects and inherent limitations of such injunctions in the digital era.

• How much for your FRAND? - where experts will consider Mr Justice Birss recent FRAND decision in Unwired Planet, as well as cases from other jurisdictions, and provide an overview of royalty rate determination issues for SEPs, related issues for standard setting organizations (SSOs), approaches adopted by other entities, such as patent pools and nonpracticing entities (NPEs), and also touch on the use of arbitration to resolve royalty rate disputes.

With a program like this and the social and cultural events that make AIPPI Congresses unique against the fabulous Sydney backdrop, that 40 hour journey will seem like a walk in the park! If you cannot attend, do not worry - the IPKat will be reporting live from the seminars with a pack of guest Kats and kittens.

The Early Bird discount expires tomorrow so better get to registering - click here.  Participants under 36 years of age benefit from a 50% discount.   The AmeriKat and her friends will see you there!