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James G Conley and John J Szobocsan ask how IP owners can achieve sustainable competitive advantage through protected differentiation. Or, in other words, why am I in this long line to buy a Snow White video – a film first released in 1937?

Monster.com, Unilever and Lucent have all recently suffered from the alleged theft of trade secrets. With more online companies and a greater dependence on electronic methods of storage and transfer of information, corporate espionage is set to become a major threat, reports Tabitha Parker

The Ukraine's reputation as the world's most persistent IP violator was confirmed in this year's US Trade Representative Special 301 Report. The Ukraine, identified as a Priority Foreign Country on March 12, almost certainly faces trade sanctions at the end of June unless it takes radical moves to address its severe IP problems.

The new generic top level domains are finally becoming available to domain name registrants. The first new domains available will be .biz and .info. .biz is trialling a unique service that enables trade mark owners to pay a fee to stake claims to domain names without registering them. The service, operated by NeuLevel, came into operation on May 19 and the notification period lasts until July 9. It enables potential registrants to be warned if their preferred domain name infringes any prior claimed rights, as well as warning those who have staked a claim if anyone else tries to register the same words. After July 9, .biz applications can be made and the .biz sites will be operational on October 1.

The Hong Kong Domain Name Registration (HKDNR) has finally relaxed domain name rules to allow companies to register multiple names under .hk, in a bid to boost the internet industry and facilitate e-commerce. Until now, it has been difficult for Hong Kong companies to differentiate their various products or services online but this problem ends on June 1, when they will be able to register more than one .hk domain name.

Pictured are some of the guests at the MIP and Questel Orbit four elements reception at the San Francisco Design Centre during the INTA Conference on May 6. The photos show members of MIP and Questel Orbit as well as representatives of firms receiving awards

In the spotlight: Woody Ritchey, Chief Executive Officer, Delphion

Trade marks are particularly vulnerable to becoming non-distinctive in Russia. Vitaly Kaliatin discusses four scenarios where this risk occurs and looks at how it can be avoided

The Baby-dry case is the first appeal to be heard by the Court of Justice in Luxembourg in proceedings concerning a Community Trade Mark. The Court of First Instance had decided not to register the term Baby-dry, used for babies nappies (or diapers). The court believed that the term is ineligible for registration as a Community Trade Mark. The examiner considered that the trade mark was descriptive of the goods for which registration was sought. She was of the opinion that Baby-dry was composed only of a simple combination of the non-distinctive words baby and dry. The mark therefore consisted exclusively of an indication which may serve in trade to designate the intended purpose of goods (Article 7 (1)(c) of the Trade Mark Regulation) such as those for which registration is sought, ie keeping a baby dry.

The UK domain name registry, Nominet, is amending its dispute resolution process. Sarah Harrington examines the proposals and reveals why they may cause concern to brand owners