2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LAW5686M Trade Marks, Geographical Indications, Designs and Trade Secrets

15 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Dr Cesar Ramirez-Montes
Email: C.J.Ramirez-Montes@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module aims to provide students with a thorough grounding in the law of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets. It will cover the key principles of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets, and certain major cases that helped to shape the modern law of these intellectual property rights and their convergence towards harmonised international standards of protection. It also considers the economic and philosophical rationales and explains why these rights are so controversial in today's globalised economy.

Objectives

To understand and critique the key principles of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets, and certain major cases that helped to shape the modern law of these intellectual property rights and their convergence towards harmonised international standards of protection.

Though reading, analysis and discussions on recent legislation, case-law and scholarship, we will solidify students' understanding and critical view of the evolving economic and philosophical rationales for these rights and investigate how far these rationales reflect present-day realities.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Explain and critically engage with the literature relating to the field of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets;
2. Assess the reasons informing and the implications of the growing internationalisation of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets;
3. Consider and critically enage with the theoretical and policy context (particularly with regard to notions of globalisation) underpinning many of the debates concerning the internationalisation of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets and also the contemporary policy relevance of such inquiries;
4. Be capable of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to the study of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets law and the analysis of comparative policy convergence;
5. Have developed the ability to research, analyse and communicate in an informed and critical way theoretical accounts and empirical studies within the field of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets;
6. Be able to relate the issues in the literature to their understanding of trade marks, geographical indications, designs and trade secrets law policy developments within their own and a variety of other countries.

Skills learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Reflection and critical thinking around the foundations and modern developments of trade marks, designs, geographical indications, design rights and trade secrets.
2. Presentation skills by explaining complex legal concepts, cases and scholarship in an engaging manner to a variety of audiences;
3. Digital creation, problem-solving and innovation by using digital technologies and techniques to present information that engages an audience and demonstrates different perspectives to address problems.
4. Effective communication, planning, leadership and teamwork by working in small groups to come up with solutions to specific problems or working together on a short presentation.
5. Commercial awareness, creativity and actively learning by engaging with the modern literature in the way modern companies deploy relevant IP rights.
6. Self-Confidence, initiative and perseverance by taking an active role in learning, maintaining focus and overcoming difficulties.
7. Mastery of the ability to read and summarise complex/technical language in trade mark, designs, geographical indications and trade secrets cases.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	10	1.50	15.00
Private study hours			135.00
Total Contact hours			15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to the summative assessment task. As part of this, each student will receive individual feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative assessment.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/04/2024

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD