COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the key fundamental concepts, principles and methods of securing and protecting creativity and innovations. The course is centered on the need for the modern Liberian lawyer working within the domestic and or regional/international legal environment to understand contending IP conventions, practice and issues. The course examines the nature of intellectual property, the various international conventions agreed to promote and protect IP as well as topical IP issue such as moral rights, the status of traditional knowledge; traditional expression; trade secrets; the use of trademarks and patents, the dangers of piracy and counterfeiting; and the use of competition as a safeguard against the abuse of the “dominant position” doctrine.

Using the existing IP legal framework of Liberia, this course explores the procedures for registering copyrights, trademarks, patents and other protectable designs, including the rules for dealing with IP infringements.