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Patent Law - Spring 2008

Spring term, Block F
W,Th,F 1:00 PM - 2:20 PM

Professor William W. Fisher
4 classroom credits LAW-44250A Spring

This course will explore patent law in depth. Approximately two thirds of the class time and readings will be devoted to the American patent system; the remainder will be devoted to the major relevant multilateral treaties and to the patent systems of other countries. Substantial attention will be paid to the efforts by economists to justify, reform, or abolish patent law and to the impact of patent law on developing nations. Students will be expected to participate via email in a discussion of the issues raised by the course. Materials will consist of Robert Merges and John Duffy, Patent Law and Policy (3rd ed. 2002) and a set of supplementary readings available through the course homepage.

Students may not take both this course and the Patents course taught by Professor Arti last year. Students may take this course and the "Introduction to Patents, Copyrights, and Similar Exclusive Rights Regimes taught by Professor Benkler this Fall but with one fewer credit for the second course taken because of the overlap.