Plastic is often referred to as the material of the 20th century. However, in recent years, the reputation of plastics has been tainted due to largely poor degradation and reusability. The latest innovations and scientific developments were highlighted at the recent Global Research & Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) virtual conference.
Hackathons and innovation go hand in hand; nonetheless, the team-based, often open nature of hackathons can jeopardise securing IP rights for a work developed during an event. For participants and organisers, how can these risks be mitigated to maximise IP generation and value?
This consequential judgment, handed down by Mr Justice Marcus Smith on 12 March 2021, addresses the repercussions deriving from two opposing conclusions having been reached, almost concurrently, by the Patents Court and the European Patent Office.
Patents are generally national rights that are obtained on a ‘country by country’ basis or by using a regional patent system, with companies being strategically selective about where they file.
The Court of Appeal was asked to review the decision of HHJ Clarke in a matter involving the British Amateur Gymnastics Association, the sport’s governing body for gymnastics in the UK, and UK Gymnastics Ltd, UK Gymnastics Affiliation Ltd and their director, Christopher Adams, a sports management and promotion group, which offers membership.
LEGO’s iconic building blocks were ruled ineligible for registered design protection in 2019. A decision by the EUIPO Board of Appeal found that the design of the block was solely dictated by its technical function, but a recent appeal has overturned this decision.