On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, the Canadian government launched a consultation on “a Modern Copyright Framework for Online Intermediaries”, seeking comments from the public until May 31. The goal of this consultation is to “ensure that Canada’s copyright framework for
Copyright
U.S. Supreme Court sides with Google and ends software copyright battle


The Supreme Court ruled on whether Google’s copying of Oracle’s Java SE API program was a protected “fair use” under US copyright law.…
GIVE ME ONE REASON (Why I Should Settle this Copyright Infringement Dispute)

Sampling is a popular form of music borrowing, and it is common practice for artists to experiment and create derivative works of an existing song before obtaining a license from the copyright holder. This creative process received significant attention in…
Late-night law may have big impact on IP owners
In a last minute effort to avoid a government shutdown, on December 21, 2020 Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.…
Stuff of folklore: the sale of Taylor Swift’s masters
Scooter Braun and Ithaca Holding’s recent acquisition of the record label Big Machine Records and, most importantly, the master recordings of Taylor Swift’s first 6 albums is no love story. Indeed, Scooter Braun’s subsequent USD $300 million sale of these…
China quietly updates its Copyright Law


On 11 November 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the amendments to the China Copyright Law (the Amendments), which will take effect on 1 June 2021. This is the third time the Copyright Law has…
Are golf polos out of tune with the law?

What do Bill Murray and Donald J. Trump have in common?
At first glance, very little, one is a comedian and actor, the other is, of course, President!
Yet, while everything drives them apart, both are golf enthusiasts, one owns…
Where the Rubber Hits the Road: Damages for Canadian E-Commerce Copyright Infringement
In Rallysport Direct LLC v 2424508 Ontario Ltd, 2020 FC 794, the Canadian Federal Court awarded $357,500 in statutory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages for infringement of copyright in 1,430 photographs.
Background
Rallysport Direct LLC (RSD…
Insights from the Australian Intellectual Property Report 2020


Intellectual Property (IP) Australia published their 2020 edition of the Australian IP Report (the IP Report) on 24 April 2020. The IP Report, which can be accessed here, provides a current overview of the IP sector…
Courts Across Canada Continue Reopening Plans
Please see our updated version of this article, published July 10, 2020.
Update – Response from Canadian Courts to COVID-19
As many Canadian jurisdictions begin to relax certain social distancing measures, it is time for an update on the status…