Law E567: Survey of Intellectual Property Law

Spring Quarter 2004

 

Professor Sean O’Connor

Room 339, William H. Gates Hall || 206.543.7491

soconnor@u.washington.edu

 

 

SYLLABUS

 

Registration & Related Information

 

Class Times: TH 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.; Office Hours: T TH 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., and by appointment.

 
Texts:

 

Grading will be based on assignments given throughout the quarter.

 

In today's world, intellectual property ("IP") is ubiquitous and students will likely confront IP issues in numerous disciplines - art, literature, music, life sciences, and information technology, to name but a few - as well as in almost every area of legal practice. This course is intended both for law students who are interested in a general overview and non-law graduate students interested in learning about the laws that protect innovation in art, science, and technology. It is not a prerequisite for the three focused courses in Patents, Trademark and Unfair Competition Law, and Copyright Law, but rather is designed as an alternative to these courses. The course utilizes an interactive problem solving approach and so both attendance and participation are required. While references may be made to international law, the course is primarily centered on U.S. IP law and, in particular, the federal systems of patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Non-law students, and law students who have taken more than one of the focused courses listed above, can take this course only with the permission of the instructor.

 

 

4/1/04     Course Overview & Trade Secrets

 

                Readings:              Prince Albert v. Strange; Form of Mutual NDA
                                             Text pp. 10-16, 27-33, 55-58, 66-70, 78-79, 92-94, 96-99, 768-776

 

4/8/04     Patents: Patentability

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 120-127, 131-134, 136-145, 147-152, 172-183, 196-206

 

4/15/04   Patents: Infringement

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 215-229, 237-245, 263-265, 266-272, 275-291, 297-307

 

4/22/04   Copyright: Requirements & Subject Matter; Scope & Duration of Rights

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 319-333, 336-337, 344-348, 351-363, 366-378, 378-392, 396-398, 399-402

                                             Supp. pp. 3-5

 

4/29/04   Copyright: Infringement; Defenses (except “Fair Use”); Remedies

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 402-410, 416-423, 425-435, 436-445, 493-517, 521-528

 

5/6/04     Trademarks: Subject Matter & Establishment of Rights

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 529-556, 559-563, 565-569, 581-582, 591-592, 599-603, 605-612

 

5/13/04   Trademarks: Infringement & Defenses

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 614-643, 647-659, 666-672, 675-683, 686-695, 726-730, 732-736

                                             Supp. pp. 7-14

 

5/20/04   “Fair Use” in Copyright, Trademarks, & Patents

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 450-459, 462-467, 468-481, 481-490, (review 550-556, 599-605), 696-702, 710-719, 274-275

                                             Handout: Madey v. Duke University, 307 F.3d 1351 (2002)

 

5/27/04   Commercializing IP; IP Related Protections & Limitations

 

                Readings:              Text pp. 643-646, 704-709, 740-757, 789-795, 989-1002, 1024-1033, 1036-1043, 1071-1074