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If Afro Leo was an IP lecturer he would start the semester with a screening of “The Social Network” – the story about the origin and success of Facebook – the idea. The award winning film touches on almost every aspect of commercialising intellectual property without so much as a mention of a statute or law, which makes it so easy to understand. It is an excellent basis for then getting to grips with the laws that regulate its protection and also for illustrating how an idea on its own (now matter how it is protected) is rather useless.  The inspirational film is not only good at getting one to understand the basics but may also test seasoned campaigners eg the evolution of “facebooking” as a trade mark and how the film itself uses the trade mark. It covers the dynamics involved in, protecting, litigating and settling over IP rights, PR nuances (including the film itself), raising capital, open innovation, corporate governance, business ethics, greed and trust. The good thing is that when the film is finished, it hasn’t.

Posted by Darren