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International Edition

Commentary: J'accuse! The battle over Google books hits Europe

The legal wrangling over Google Books - the internet giant's wildly ambitious project to become one of the largest libraries and booksellers in the world - has taken on an international flavour. In late September a French publisher accused the ubiquitous search engine of breaking French copyright law in its effort to scan millions of books. Debate is now taking off across Europe.
3 minute read

International Edition

Bird & Bird makes up three partners outside of usual promotions round

Bird & Bird has made up three new partners outside of the firm's regular promotions round. The promotions, which took effect yesterday (1 November), see one new partner made up in each of the firm's Finland, Spain and Sweden offices.
2 minute read

International Edition

Hammonds partner duo quit to join Eversheds in Munich

The head of Hammonds' Munich office is set to join Eversheds along with one other partner to launch a new practice group. Herbert Kunz will head up a new patent services and prosecution practice at Eversheds in Munich alongside partner Michael Schneider, who also joins from Hammonds.
2 minute read

International Edition

Protection of IP is essential for clean energy advances

In December, world leaders are meeting in Copenhagen to agree a strategy to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. The success of any strategy will ultimately depend upon the development and dissemination of clean technology throughout the world. As a result, world leaders are coming under intense pressure to relax patent protection to facilitate the transfer of clean technology to the developing world. However, it is questionable whether such a move would really promote the use of clean technology.
3 minute read

International Edition

'Super injunctions' under scrutiny amid Carter-Ruck media storm

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that Justice Secretary Jack Straw is conducting a review of 'super injunctions' in the wake of the media frenzy prompted earlier this week by Carter-Ruck's attempts to prevent the press from reporting Parliamentary proceedings. Carter-Ruck attempted to block The Guardian from reporting an MP's question about an injunction obtained by the law firm on behalf of its client Trafigura. The injunction banned coverage of a confidential report on oil company Trafigura - which recently reached a settlement with claimants after being accused of dumping toxic waste off the Ivory Coast - and of the existence of the injunction itself.
2 minute read

International Edition

Covington makes up 10 to partnership with one in London

Covington & Burling has added 10 new partners in its annual promotions round, with one made up in London. Corporate intellectual property (IP) partner Lucinda Osborne becomes the eighteenth partner in the US firm's City office. Her practice covers all transactional matters for a range of pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
2 minute read

International Edition

Greenberg hit with $100m malpractice suit

Greenberg Traurig has been hit with a $100m malpractice suit over allegations that it failed to properly prosecute patents for a longstanding electronics manufacturing client and committed discovery abuses in related litigation. Leviton Manufacturing sued Greenberg and three of its former intellectual property (IP) partners after the company itself was sanctioned earlier this year for the conduct of Greenberg lawyers in prosecuting Leviton patents.
3 minute read

International Edition

Field Fisher recruits A&O IP duo for Brussels office

Field Fisher Waterhouse has strengthened its Brussels office with the hire of a two-lawyer intellectual property (IP) team from Allen & Overy (A&O). Stijn Debaene, who was a senior associate in A&O's Brussels office, joined Field Fisher as a partner earlier this month (9 September) and will head the IP practice locally. He is the office's first dedicated IP partner and will be joined by one associate next month.
2 minute read

International Edition

Partner trio resign from Halliwells Manchester office

Three partners have quit Halliwells' Manchester office, it has emerged. Corporate partners James Sheridan and Frank Shephard and intellectual property partner Craig Chaplin have all resigned from the firm's partnership. A Halliwells spokesman confirmed the resignations.
1 minute read

International Edition

Mars hands trophy region-wide trademark mandate to Lovells

Mars has handed its high-profile trademark work to Lovells as previous adviser Clifford Chance moves to restructure its intellectual property (IP) practice. Lovells will now advise Mars on trademark, copyright, design and brand protection matters across a portfolio of products ranging from chocolate brands Galaxy and Snickers to pet food brands Pedigree and Whiskas and food product brands like Uncle Ben's.
2 minute read

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