Innovation is a key driver of business. The intellectual property regime operates to recognise and protect innovation by granting limited monopoly rights encouraging research and development, intangible asset creation and entrepreneurship.

This course examines the key intellectual property rights granted by the statutory intellectual property regimes – trade marks, copyright, patents and designs – as well as the common law protection of confidential information and trade secrets. The protection of trade designations, branding and character merchandising through the statutory misleading conduct action and the common passing off action is also covered as is the protection of business goodwill through restraint of trade covenants.

The exploitation of IPRs through licensing and technology transfer arrangements is also examined.