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Margot Fröhlinger, a former senior official in the European Commission's IP team, has taken on a new role. She has joined the EPO as principal director for patent law and international affairs in DG 5. Fröhlinger is widely credited with driving discussions on an EU unitary patent and unified litigation system, although member states have yet to agree a final deal.

A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam – who received the world’s first recorded patent in 1449 diary@managingip.com

In December 2010 and January 2011, Szekely Domokos Szabolcs filed two national trade mark applications consisting of the figurative element showing an interdiction sign of a pregnant woman drinking:

Managing IP's list of cases of the year 2013 profiles 40 IP cases from around the world. Here are the cases selected from Asia. Read the introduction for more details, and links to the European and American cases.

Christian Louboutin found two allies in the past two months in its fight to protect its red-sole trade mark. Jewellery company Tiffany submitted its amicus brief to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal in October, while INTA submitted in November. Both reveal interesting aspects of the issues behind the case, and its potential impact should Louboutin fail to reverse the decision by the Southern District of New York.

Luxury shoe brand Louboutin will appeal a New York judge’s decision that the high-fashion shoe company could not ban competitors from using its trade mark red outsole

Biotech company Myriad, which owns US patents covering the isolation and detection of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, won a second victory at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last month. In the long-running dispute, parties including the Association for Molecular Pathology said Myriad's claims covered material ineligible for patent protection. But in August, the Federal Circuit once again reversed the district court's finding that Myriad's composition claims to isolated DNA molecules cover patent-ineligible products of nature. The court also overturned the ruling that Myriad's method claim for screening potential cancer therapeutics via changes in the cell growth rates of transformed cells is a patent-ineligible scientific principle. But it affirmed the district court's decision that Myriad's method claims for "comparing" or "analysing" DNA sequences are "abstract, mental steps" that cannot be patented. The Federal Circuit first ruled on the case in July last year and an appeal to the Supreme Court was subsequently filed. The case was returned to the Federal Circuit following the Supreme Court's decision in Mayo v Prometheus in March this year. The plaintiffs have said they are not satisfied with the decision and could appeal to the High Court a second time. Chinese patents to be expedited. China’s new priority examination system for patents went live on August 1. Applicants can now request speedier examination for inventions in fields including green technologies, new-generation information technology and high-end manufacturing. Patents filed in China before other countries or deemed in the national interest can also be fast-tracked. Applicants must file electronically and submit an application for prioritised patent examination endorsed by a provincial SIPO branch.

Keeping a brand relevant while remaining loyal to its roots “is not an easy business,” said John Anderson of Levi Strauss & Co. during yesterday’s keynote address—but the LEVI’S brand has endured thanks to three key strategies.

Patent Prosecution firms of the year

Pamela K Fulmer has joined SNR Denton’s IP and technology practice in San Francisco. She was previously with Jones Day.