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"I work for a global company doing business in China. We have a problem with counterfeiters and I am not sure what is the best way to enforce my trade marks." Responses from a lawyer, in-house counsel and investigator

Enforcing a patent in Korea can be an actionable tort. Young Hill Liew and Cheol Hwan Kim of Yulchon review recent decisions and explain how patent owners can avoid the pitfalls

The internet embodies a vital marketing platform for modern business, and may serve as the source of information on companies' activities. Companies embarking on a new business or undertaking a brand expansion plan under a selected trade mark need to have web pages to host their information online. These web pages require addresses or domain names incorporating the company's trade mark. Domain names are the company's identity or trade mark in cyberspace. The registration of the domain name is an essential step to secure the selected trade mark from third party's use.

You have an invention you want to patent. To qualify in most countries, your invention must meet the standard for so-called absolute novelty. This means it cannot have been sold or disclosed in prior patents, publications, trade brochures, advertisements, etc. Such items constitute what is referred to as the prior art.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has recently published revised examination guidelines for patent applications relating to medical inventions. The revisions are to take into account amendments to patent law made by the provisions of the Patents Act 2004, which came in force on December 13 2007 following the implementation of the European Patent Convention 2000. As always, the guidelines are a comprehensive explanation of the practice of the IPO and all practitioners in this field are advised to consult them.

Turkey's policy is that geographical indications (GIs) should be protected not only for wines and spirits but also for other products. The same argument has been made by countries such as Switzerland, Hungary and Bulgaria in TRIPs Council meetings though a majority of countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Chile were against it.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced an amendment to its examination guidelines broadening the scope of patentable inventions using materials from human bodies (including materials from deceased persons), effective as of July 1 2008. Prior to this amendment, inventions using materials from human bodies were generally not patentable in Korea. Such inventions were believed to harm human dignity and be ethically unacceptable. Even inventions using materials from deceased persons were generally not allowed. The only exception to this prohibition under the previous examination guidelines was using parts of the human body that were obtained naturally and not artificially (e.g. surgery). For example, inventions using blood or placenta naturally discharged from the human body were allowed while use of cells removed through surgical procedures was not.

New deals between big pharma and academic institutions raise questions about IP ownership and patent strategies. Zöe Clyde-Watson examines how to avoid entitlement disputes

Heriberto López of Becerril Coca & Becerril gives an overview of the law concerning the duty to translate requested documents

Hoon Chang and Jongki Lee of Central International Law Firm outline changes in patent policies and the exploitation of patents through licensing