IPR Summer School 2015

3/2015 3.9.2015
(Photo: Noora Arkia)
Students interested in IP from all over the world got together in Helsinki to learn about IP and to meet each other

The week long program of IPR Summer School contained seminars, lectures, company visits and case clinics regarding topical IP matters and recent cases in the field. The program began with a festive opening seminar at which the students, together with Finnish IP professionals, had the privilege of hearing Mr. Justice Richard Arnold’s talk on the legislative basis for website-blocking injunctions.

In addition to Justice Arnold, the students were taught by several other well-known IPR professionals during the week. There were sessions regarding, among other things, IP in the Nordic countries, trade secrets and free trade agreements in relation to IP. The Summer School week was designed to cover different perspectives on IP, for example that of a Finnish collective management organization and that of start-up entrepreneurs that had to consider IP in relation to their innovations and business ideas.

The first excursion in the program was a visit to Teosto. Its staff shed light on how directing remuneration to artists in the music market in Finland works in practice. They also introduced Teosto’s research activities and touched upon such issues as for example how digitization of music affects Teosto’s operation.

(Photo: Noora Arkia)

However, the Summer School was not merely about listening to others speaking but also contained sessions where the students were encouraged to actively participate in the discussions themselves. For example the case clinic teachers encouraged active participation by directing questions to the members of the audience. The case clinics were about introducing recent cases to the students. The cases concerned IP subjects such as copyright exhaustion, use of trademarks in video games and secondary medical use claims in patenting. The clinics were taught by Professor Michael Landau from Georgia State University, Professor Barton Beebe from New York University, Professor Michael Grünberger, from the University of Bayreuth and IP Lawyer Pamela Lönnqvist from Boco IP.

(Photo: Noora Arkia)

Probably the most active part for the students was however the visit to Startup Sauna. The participants’ skills in IP were put to use in a practical assignment in which the students were assigned real life start-up enterprises, for which they were expected to create IP strategies. In this exercise the students had a chance to try what it is like to be an IP attorney.    

Naturally, as the week was organized in Finland, the organizers wanted to include something about Nordic law too. Professor Jan Rosén from the University of Stockholm, Partner Åsa Krook from Borenius Attorneys and Professor Bengt Domeij from the University of Uppsala took care of inducting the students into the most important principles and case law affecting the Nordic tradition in copyright, trademark and patent law.

(Photo: Noora Arkia)

In addition to the lessons directed specifically to the students, the participants of the Summer School were also admitted to attend three seminars to which also practicing IP lawyers were invited. One of these seminars regarded the significance of openness, secrecy and confidentiality in the IP field. The seminar consisted of speeches by an impressive selection of international professionals from different areas in IP law such as Partner Ella Mikkola from Bird & Bird and Professor Mary-Rose McGuire from Mannheim University.

The second of such shared events was the Free Trade Agreements and IP -seminar. For many, this was the one most awaited part of the program because of the very well-known Finnish professor of International Law Martti Koskenniemi’s presentation on why investor-state dispute settlement clause is not required in the TTIP Treaty. Finally, while most of the program concentrated on European and American issues related to IP, the third seminar was a session about IP issues in China. Among the speakers was the Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Amazon China Jun An who presented his views on the current developments in China.

On Friday, during the Summing Up session, it was clearly visible to the organizers that the students had learned a lot during the week and that the sessions had provided a considerable amount of food for thought to be brought back home. After five days of listening to inspiring experts, visiting organizations and networking the students were tired but happy. 

Noora Arkia

Helena Gunst

Aiheet: Muut
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