From the Chair

Reconstituting the Copyright Amendment Bill

Posted by on Jun 14, 2021 in Copyright, From the Chair, IPStell | Comments Off on Reconstituting the Copyright Amendment Bill

Reconstituting the Copyright Amendment Bill

Every golfer has had the experience of duffing a shot – driving the ball straight into a water hazard – and, having incurred a penalty stroke, hitting a perfect drive straight down the middle of the fairway at the second attempt. This has given rise to the golfing adage: Confucius say hit second shot first! In similar vein, Parliament has produced a horrendous piece of copyright legislation, but has now been given a second chance to get it right, without incurring any penalty. Will it take up and optimize this break, that is the question?...

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Authors, you’ve got a friend?

Posted by on May 31, 2021 in Copyright, From the Chair, IPStell | Comments Off on Authors, you’ve got a friend?

Authors, you’ve got a friend?

INTRODUCTION The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary gives the following as a meaning of the word “friend”: “A person who wishes another, a cause etc., well; a sympathizer, helper, patron…” Carole King, the famous songwriter/performer, gives a good description of the characteristics of a friend in her iconic song, You’ve Got a Friend. The drafters of the Copyright Amendment Bill (“CAB”), which is currently before Parliament, purport to be the friend of creative persons, referred to as “authors” in respect of all kinds of...

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Prof Owen Dean peer-selected to list of Best Lawyers in SA

Posted by on Nov 18, 2016 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on Prof Owen Dean peer-selected to list of Best Lawyers in SA

Prof Owen Dean peer-selected to list of Best Lawyers in SA

Professor Owen Dean, first incumbent of the Chair of IP Law, Emeritus Professor and current Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University has again been selected by his peers in legal practice for inclusion in the 8th edition of the list of best lawyers in South Africa in the practice area of Intellectual Property Law. The Best Lawyers ranking is widely recognised as the oldest and most esteemed peer-review publication in the legal profession and inclusion in the list is a significant honour bestowed on the recipient by their peers after a...

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IP Public Lecture 2016 – Comparative Brand Advertising

Posted by on Aug 4, 2016 in Events, From the Chair | Comments Off on IP Public Lecture 2016 – Comparative Brand Advertising

IP Public Lecture 2016 – Comparative Brand Advertising

THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED Watch the video of the lecture below. The Chair of Intellectual Property Law presents the annual IP Law Public Lecture 2016 with Charles Webster, partner at Spoor & Fisher and frequent contributor to the intellectual property law programmes (LLM, PGDip and Short Course) at Stellenbosch University. Charles’ lecture on Comparative Brand Advertising: the legal do’s and don’ts promises to be of significant value to all trade mark practitioners and brand managers and indeed everyone with an interest...

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Prof Mostert receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Posted by on May 26, 2014 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on Prof Mostert receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof Mostert receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof Frederick Mostert, extraordinary professor at Stellenbosch University and Academic Fellow of this Chair, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Luxury Law Summit 2014 for his contribution to the luxury industry according to a report by the Global Legal Post here. Prof Mostert’s career as legal professional includes many significant contributions to legal development across the world, among others the recent landmark case involving a brand from the Richemont stable which resulted in a successful defence of IP rights in the...

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Interview: Prof Dean on Afropop Worldwide

Posted by on May 5, 2014 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on Interview: Prof Dean on Afropop Worldwide

Interview: Prof Dean on Afropop Worldwide

Afropop Worldwide, the radio programme and online magazine dedicated to music from Africa, interviewed Prof Dean about his personal experiences during the protracted Mbube/Lion Sleeps Tonight case, how he managed to persevere despite a myriad of obstacles and his book on this case. The interview is part of the Hip Deep special programme series funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and is distributed by Afropop Worldwide to more than 115 radio stations in the USA, Europe and Africa. You can listen to the interview here or on...

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Judging IP Law

Posted by on Dec 4, 2013 in From the Chair, Publications | 5 comments

Judging IP Law

On Monday this week (2 December 2013) the President of the Republic appointed several new judges to the courts of South Africa including, most notably, Maria (Mabel) Jansen SC. It is with pleasure, and no small measure of pride, that this Chair conveys its congratulations to Judge Jansen on being elevated to the South Gauteng High Court (formerly the Johannesburg High Court) and wishes her well. Following the retirement of Judge Louis Harms from the Supreme Court of Appeal, this Chair (and many others) lamented the lack of IP expertise on the...

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News Media: Prof Dean on plain packaging

Posted by on May 31, 2013 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on News Media: Prof Dean on plain packaging

News Media: Prof Dean on plain packaging

In the past three days, six articles appeared in six different national newspapers referring to Prof Dean’s landmark inaugural lecture at Stellenbosch University regarding the unconstitutional impact of Government’s proposed ban on tobacco branding on trade mark property rights. Prof Dean was also interviewed on this topic by 702 Talk radio (listen here) and 567 Cape Talk (listen here) on this topic. The full text and podcast of Prof Dean’s inaugural lecture is available here. Click on an image to enlarge:   CAPE ARGUS...

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Interview: Prof Dean on Cape Talk

Posted by on May 31, 2013 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on Interview: Prof Dean on Cape Talk

Interview: Prof Dean on Cape Talk

Prof Dean was interviewed by Kieno Kammies for 567 Cape Talk radio today (31 May 2013) on World No Tobacco Day. Prof Dean discussed why Government’s proposed ban on tobacco branding (by means of plain packaging) is unconstitutional and amounts to brand genocide. The interview relates to his inaugural address and subsequent publications. This interview followed on Prof Dean’s previous interview with 702 Talk Radio (listen here).   You can listen to the interview on Cape Talk radio here.   Description (from Cape...

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Interview: Prof Dean on The Money Show

Posted by on May 31, 2013 in From the Chair, Publications | Comments Off on Interview: Prof Dean on The Money Show

Interview: Prof Dean on The Money Show

Prof Dean was interviewed by Bruce Whitfield on 702 Talk Radio for “The Money Show”. The topic of the interview was Five reasons: Why prohibiting the use of trademarks on tobacco products makes no sense.    This interview followed on the topic of Prof Dean’s inaugural address at Stellenbosch University. You can listen to the radio interview here:       Follow Share on...

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