IPR Intellectual Property Rights

Trade Mark Law protects words, phrases and symbols that identify goods and services.

Copyright Law protects "original forms of expression" including a poem, painting or musical score.

Patent Law protects "original inventions and processes" including genetically engineered life forms.

Domain Name Disputes arise when cybersquatters register domain names identical to or similar to trademarks.

Designs Law protects novel or original design. Industrial designs are an element of intellectual property.

Trade Secrets Law protects information, including a formula, method and marketing strategies.

Traditional Knowledge The traditions, customs and practices of indigenous, or local communities.

Fair Use allows the public to copy works without having to ask permission or pay licensing fees.

Geographical Indications to identify goods originating from a definite territory.

Plant Varieties Laws to protect “plant varieties” as an Intellectual Property Right.

Database Rights A sui generis right to provide greater protection to collections of information.

Mask Work intellectual property right conferring time-limited exclusivity to reproduction of a particular layout.

Moral Rights distinct from any economic rights tied to copyright, like the right to the integrity of the work.

Right of Publicity protects celebrities’ interests in their images and identities.

Case Law

IPR Articles, Essays, Papers, Case law and Convention Reports:

Rajrathnam V P, Attorney and IPR Consultant

Intellectual property laws encourage and protect works of the intellect.

TRIPS dictated how states should regulate the protection of intellectual property. TRIPS resulted from lobbying by powerful multinational corporations who wished to mould international law to protect their markets - (Private Power, Public Law).

Internet required very little support from intellectual-property systems and it eventually fostered a conducive atmosphere for worldwide copyright violation - vpr