IP Intensive Program: Taking a Look Behind the Wizard’s Curtain – A Semester at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Off in the far-away land of our nation’s capital (actually, across the river in Gatineau, Quebec, to be specific) exists a mystical place. A building where applications are examined, rights are granted, and hearings are heard. I spent the better part of a semester at this office, and the experience I had there will without […]

The Copyright Pentalogy: How the Supreme Court of Canada Shook Up Fair Dealing

On Friday October 4 2013 , the University of Ottawa hosted the launch event of the new book The Copyright Pentalogy: How the Supreme Court of Canada Shook the Foundations of Canadian Copyright Law. The book, edited by Michael Geist, features chapters written by a number of prominent intellectual property law professors, including IP Osgoode's Professor Giuseppina […]

Graham Henderson's 5 Easy Steps to Fixing Canada's Music Industry

#MusicCanHelp – This Twitter hashtag and motto for Graham Henderson’s recent address is now being used to inspire communities, industries, and politicians to help music help Canada.

Mario Bouchard: Copyright Quintet opus 1. no.1, by McLachlin et al

On January 28, 2013, to a room full of intellectual property lawyers at an ALAI Canada luncheon meeting, IP Osgoode Advisory Board Member Mario Bouchard, general counsel to  the Copyright Board of Canada, presented his analysis of the initial impact of the Supreme Court' of Canada's copyright pentalogy and the portion of the Copyright Modernization Act […]

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Lawsuit! – Termination Rights Denied to Siegel Estate for Superman

Superman – the superhero known to be faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound – seems to be a magnet for lawsuits. The iconic superhero with the ‘S’ on his chest was the subject of another long legal battle that ended earlier this month. Had the case […]

Are Instagram Users Starting to See the Big Picture?

What follows is a cautionary tale, reminding users that it might be wise to read the terms presented on your computer screen before clicking “I Agree”.

IP Osgoode Speaker Series: The Honourable Mr. Justice Marshall Rothstein – Reflections on the Supreme Court of Canada 2012 Copyright Decisions

On November 27th, 2012, IP Osgoode was pleased to welcome The Honourable Mr. Justice Marshall Rothstein of the Supreme Court of Canada to share his thoughts with respect to the 5 important copyright cases (known as the “Copyright Pentalogy”) that he took part in deciding earlier this year.

Quebec Has Some Branding Issues

The commitment to culture by our Francophone neighbours in Quebec has put their provincial government in the center of a legal battle with 6 major retailers.

The Sun Sets on ICANN 45 - Reviewing the gTLD Implementation Plan

One of the primary discussion topics at ICANN 45 in Toronto concerned the implementation of new gTLDs and the effects the new processes would have on the rights holders of various trade-marks.

Behold, the Monkey – When Painting Restoration Goes Viral

While “going viral” is a phrase more likely to be used in reference to musicians such as PSY (of "Gangnam Style" fame), a painting  has received world-wide notoriety due to a bungled restoration job at the hands of a senior citizen.