Professor Owen Dean will deliver his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 21 May 2013 at 17:30 to mark his investiture as professor of intellectual property law at Stellenbosch University. The topic of his address is Deprivation of Trade Marks Through State Interference in Their Usage. 

Summary:

The lecture will address the topic of deprivation of trade marks, particularly those of tobacco products, by legislative intervention that propose to limit the use of such trade marks for reasons of public interest, particularly public health. With reference to the recent Australian cases where the state succeeded in effectively abolishing the use of tobacco-related trade marks, Prof Dean will analyse the relevant provisions of the South African Trade Marks Act and the Constitution to determine the likelihood that similar legislation may succeed in South Africa. Prof Dean’s lecture will scrutinise the constitutionality of the Australian legislation from a South African perspective, distinguish between deprivation and expropriation in terms of the Constitution and in so doing develop a bespoke theory applicable to the expropriation of trade marks under South African law.

Invitation:

The Faculty of Law and the Chair of Intellectual Property Law invites everyone interested in attending the lecture to RSVP by email to yolandi@sun.ac.za by 16 May 2013. Click here to download the invitation.

The inaugural lecture is open to the public and attendance is free, but RSVP is essential. A cocktail reception will follow after the lecture.