Commercial law
This course looks at the ways in which a business makes money out of its products. Starting with the intellectual property rights which protect them, the course goes on to consider how the business can sell its products or market them via agency, distribution or licensing arrangements. We also consider EC and UK competition law issues as they arise.
Topics will include:
Intellectual Property Rights
- Trade marks / passing off
- Copyright and database right
- Registered and unregistered design right
- Patents
- Confidential information
Domestic sale of goods
- Common terms on price, payment and delivery, and their effect
- Remedies of the unpaid seller, especially retention of title
- Contractual terms as to performance, description and quality and the exclusion of liability for breach
- Introduction to data protection
- Introduction to consumer credit
International sale of goods
- Choice of jurisdiction and law
- Incoterm
- Introduction to bills of exchange and documentary credits
Agency and distribution agreements
- Issues on choice between agency and distribution
- Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993
- EC and UK law competition treatment
- Common terms in an agency agreement
- Types of distribution agreement
Exploiting IP rights
- The options available
- Simple trade mark and copyright licences
- EC and competition law implications
