Book Review; the CIPA Guide to the Patents Act by the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, Ninth Edition

Reviewing a book such as the CIPA Guide to the Patents Act is a dream for a patent nerd like this Kat. The “Black Book”, as it is widely known, is a comprehensive commentary to the Patents Act and the last edition  not only provides  updates but also includes substantial revisions of key parts that have been affected by the recent case-law, such as Eli Lily v Actavis, Generics (UK) v Warner-Lambert, Actavis v ICOS and Shanks v Unilever.

The list of contributors to this edition is long, including solicitors, barristers and patent attorneys. The editors are Paul Cole (Chartered Patent Attorney) and Richard Davis (Barrister).

This new edition is even more comprehensive, as the authors  include not only UK law but also case law from the Boards of Appeal, other EPC contracting states and even the USA. In the book, you will also find references to relevant professional literature. 

Needless to say, taking into consideration when this book was written, it was only natu

E-book edition available ;-)

ral to take into consideration the upcoming Brexit.

This edition does not change the basic format of the book. Each section of the Patents Act is followed by a detailed commentary, including analysis of both relevant UK and EPO case law. References to cases from other countries, such as Germany and the US, are made in several parts of the book.

The readers will find it very easy to navigate since the book includes an excellent subject matter Index, Table of Cases (that also include cases of the Boards of Appeal of the EPO), able of Statutes, Statutory Instruments, Rules of Court, International Conventions and Treaties.

The comprehensive information provided for in the Black Book is complemented  by internet sources and online references to, for instance, the Patent (Fee) Rules. The book includes all statutory and legislative changes as at July 2019, augmented by even more recent case-law. The “Black Book” enjoys a reading audience  well acquainted with the book’s structure, content and quality. For those that are not familiar with it, however, this is the book you need to have to have access to regarding anything that you need to know about the UK Patents Act and how it is to be interpreted.

Edition: 9th edition, Mainwork

ISBN:  9780414073937

Published by:  Sweet & Maxwell

Author: Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)

Publication Date:  31 Dec 2019

Format:  Hardback, eBook – ProView

Length: 1529 pages