SpicyIP Events: NLSIU Symposium on ‘Challenges to India’s Patent Regime’ being held on April 12th-13th

A couple of months ago, SpicyIP Events had brought to your attention that the National Law School of India University was organizing a Symposium on ‘Challenges to India’s Patent Regime’ on the 12^th-13^th of April. Billed as one of the ‘spiciest’ IP events of the year this NLSIU Symposium boasts an excellent line-up of speakers, most of them being the authorities in their respective fields. Keeping in line with the highest traditions of legal debate at the NLSIU this Symposium promises to present a balanced debate since each session has speakers from either side of the fence (with a few of them sitting on the fence). Also for those of you who may have over-dosed on the regular pharmaceutical patent debates, this Symposium promises you more than just the regular fare.

The Event is being organized by the editorial board of the National Law School of India Review (NLSIR). The website of the symposium can be accessed here. The cost of registration is Rs. 2000 per delegate and interested parties can register here. This includes registration, conference material, a copy of the National Law School of India Review and all meals during the symposium. The amount may be paid by cheque in favour of “National Law School of India Review”. There however is a waiver of registration fees for interested students. For more information please feel free to contact the Chief Editor Mr. Arghya Sengupta at [email protected], +919886023232 or +919871668286.

The schedule and the line-up of speakers are as below:

Saturday, 12^th April, 2008

• 9:30– 10:30 a.m.- Registration

• 10: 30 a.m.- Inauguration by Dr. Justice AR. Lakshmanan, Chairperson, Law Commission of India, Former judge, Supreme Court of India and Justice D.V. Shylendra Kumar, Judge, High Court of Karnataka; Dr. A. Jayagovind, Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

• 11: 15 a.m.- Session 1: Outer limits of patentable subject matter and Interface between Patents and Competition Law

Paper presenters:

1. Zakir Thomas, Former Registrar of Copyrights- Patenting Research Tools

2. Vinay Aravind, Poovayya and Associates, Chennai

3. Meera Jayakumar, GNLU- Patenting of Software

4. Sajan Poovayya, Partner, Poovayya and Associates* (subject to confirmation)

Chair: T.S. Somashekar, Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Discussant: Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

• 1: 30 p.m.- Lunch

• 2: 30 p.m.- Session 2- India and TRIPs- Developing Country Perspectives

Paper presenters:

1. Shamnad Basheer, Research Associate, Oxford IP Research Centre- India and TRIPs: Developing Country Perspectives

2. Dr. Anil Gupta, Professor, Kasturbhai Lalbhai Chair in Entrepreneurship, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Executive Vice-Chair, National Innovation Foundation

3. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Chair: Feroz Ali Khader, Advocate, High Court of Judicature at Madras

Discussant: Prashant Reddy, Student, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

• 5: 30 p.m.- High Tea

• 6 p.m.- Depart for ITC Windsor Manor

• 7 p.m.- Drinks Reception and Dinner for all invited and registered delegates at ITC Windsor Manor- Poolside and Westminster Hall

Sunday, 13^th April, 2008

• 10: 30 a.m.- Session 3: Pharmaceutical Patents- Balancing Innovation with Access

Paper presenters:

1. Mr. Gopa Kumar, CENTAD

2. Feroz Ali Khader, Advocate, High Court of Judicature at Madras

3. Leena Menghaney, Access Campaign Manager – India, MSF

4. Prashant Reddy, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

5. Ajay Prasad, ULC Bangalore

Chair: T. Ramakrishna, Professor of IP Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Discussant: Shamnad Basheer, OIPRC

• 1 p.m.- Lunch

• 2 p.m.- Session 4: Plenary Session on Judiciary and Patent Law presided over by Justice P.P. Naolekar, Judge, Supreme Court of India

Speakers:

1. Justice P.P. Naolekar, Judge Supreme Court of India

2. Justice Ravindra Bhat, Judge, Delhi High Court

3. Professor Ramakrishna, Professor of IP Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

4. Shamnad Basheer, OIPRC, Research Associate

5. Dr. Anand Grover, Director Lawyers’ Collective

6. Aditya Sondhi, Advocate,
   
   Karnataka High Court-

   Enforcement of IPR: Practical Issues

7. Srividhya Raghavan, Associate Professor, IP Law, Oklahoma University: Does India Need a Specialised
   
   IP Court

   : Lessons from the Federal Circuit

Moderator: Professor Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

• 5: 30 p.m.- Closing address by Professor, Govindraj Hegde, Faculty Advisor, Student Advocate Committee, NLSIU.