PUBLISHED:February 08, 2011

IPCS hosts "Hot Topics in Intellectual Property" symposium, Feb. 11

Gene and biotechnology patents and the implications of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) will be the focus of discussion during the Intellectual Property & Cyberlaw Society’s 10th annual “Hot Topics in Intellectual Property” symposium on Feb. 11.

The daylong symposium will begin at 9:00 a.m. in room 3037 of Duke Law School, located at the corner of Towerview Road and Science Drive on Duke University’s West Campus. Advance registration is now open.

Professor Margo Bagley of the University of Virginia School of Law, a director of the Public Patent Foundation, and Dr. Hans Sauer of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) will deliver keynote addresses during the morning discussion of the future of gene and biotechnology patents in light of current and pending decisions in the federal courts. During the afternoon consideration of ACTA, Professor Michael Geist,the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, and Greg Frazier, executive vice president and chief policy officer of the Motion Picture Association of America will offer keynote remarks on how the proposed plurilateral agreement designed to create international standards for enforcement of intellectual property rights might affect both rights holders and users of copyrighted materials. Each topic also will be addressed by expert panels of scholars and practitioners.

The event is approved for up to 6.5 hours of CLE credit; 3.5 credit hours are available for half-day attendance. CLE credit for online attendance is available through Thomson West.

Attendees are invited to a continental breakfast, buffet lunch, and reception following the symposium, which is co-sponsored by Alston & Bird and the Duke Bar Association.

For more information, contact Ryan O’Quinn.