Amelia Manera is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School and an IP Osgoode Student Intern in the inaugural Intellectual Property Law & Technology Intensive Program (IP Intensive).
On Friday, September 9, 2011, members of IP Osgoode, participants of the inaugural IP Law & Technology Intensive Program, IP enthusiasts, along with friends and family, gathered at Osgoode Hall Law School to celebrate two additions to the intellectual property literary world: Intellectual Property Law: Copyrights, Patents, Trade-marks, 2nd ed. by Prof David Vaver and Copyright, Communication and Culture: Towards a Relational Theory of Law by Prof Carys Craig.
Professor Poonam Puri, Associate Dean of Research, Graduate Studies and Institutional Relations, and member of IP Osgoode’s Advisory Board, opened the celebration with words of congratulations to both authors. As part of the celebrations, Prof Craig and Prof Vaver gave a brief talk on themes surrounding their respective new works. Prof Giuseppina D’Agostino, Founder and Director of IP Osgoode, introduced Prof Craig and Prof Vaver in turn, espousing each author’s respected work in the field of intellectual property law.
Prof Craig, a member of IP Osgoode, gave an explanation of her relational theory of communication and copyright. In essence, it is a movement away from the author (or creator) that creates in a vacuum, devoid of any outside influence. Instead, the relational theory posits that a creator necessarily draws upon past experiences and external influences – what she stated as been referred to as “culture.” Prof Craig suggested that moving towards a copyright system based on the ideas of communication and relationships would help dispel some of the tensions currently held between various parties, particularly, for example, creators and users. Prof Craig offered us an interpretation of the book’s cover art. The depiction of a water droplet that has fallen from a young bud causing a ripple effect in the pool of water below is meant to show the interrelatedness of all aspects of creation as shown in the relational theory where creations of new works both stem from and enter into the same and yet ever changing cultural landscape.
We then heard from Prof Vaver, a member of IP Osgoode and its Advisory Board, who spoke about his updated second edition of his survey text on intellectual property law. First he shared with us his initial surprise over the widespread reliance by the courts and intellectual property law practitioners on the first edition as they were not his intended audience. He went on to explain that he had students, general practitioners, and laymen in mind when framing and writing the first edition. He did not anticipate that those who would rely on his work would include the Supreme Court of Canada. The second edition, available for sale only since May 2011, has already been referenced in a Supreme Court of Canada decision. Prof Vaver concluded his talk by outlining how important intellectual property law has become for all other areas of the practise of law giving examples from constitutional, tort, and criminal law.
A brief questions and answer period followed, led by Hashem Ghazi, JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School, with discussion centering around the potential for Canada to be a leader in copyright reform. Mr. Ghazi’s review of Prof Vaver’s Intellectual Property Law: Copyrights, Patents, Trade-marks, 2nd ed. can be read here as previously posted on IPilogue.
The afternoon celebration was enjoyed by all and we are sure to hear more about these two great additions to the intellectual property literary world in the future.