CPD Course:
Introduction
to
Patent Law

Mr. Ronald Yu, a holder of JD and LLM degrees; lectures on Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Patent Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong.  He is, among other things, an U.S. Patent Agent since 2004 and a digital forensics examiner.  He is also the Vice President of Knowledge Management of the International Intellectual Property Commercialization Council.

Ronald has published articles on online learning, digital forensics, intellectual property, information technology and constitutional law.  He authored the Hong Kong chapter for the 3rd edition of the book Electronic Evidence and he is the author of the forthcoming book Intellectual Property for Business.  His significant publications include:

• When Internet protocols and legal provisions collide: Unauthorised access and Sierra v Ritz, Computer Law and Security Review Volume 25, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 185-188
• Office Open XML and the promise not to sue: Opportunity or minefield? Background paper produced for OOXML Symposium USNW 14 December 2007
• Should foreign domestic helpers be allowed permanent residency in the HKSAR? Hong Kong Lawyer, May 2006
• The impact of ethics on global patent harmonization, Hong Kong Student Law Review Vol. 10, 2004-5
• Digital Evidence: International Considerations, Computer Law Association Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2005
• The Horse Before the Cart, Asia Law, Dec. 04/Jan. 05
• Challenges Posed by Digital Evidence, Hong Kong Lawyer, October 2004
• Is Hong Kong ready for ID Theft in the 21st Century? Hong Kong Lawyer, May 2004

As technology plays an increasingly greater role in everyday life and as patents become more important to companies, the need to understand patent law grows.

A technical degree, while helpful, is not a pre-requisite to knowledge of patent law.

This class, taught by Ronald Yu, who has successfully taught non-lawyers as well as postgraduate and undergraduate law students aims to do that.

• The relationship of patent law to other intellectual property (IP) rights
• The basics of patent law and patentability
• Different types of patents:
• Patents
• Utility models
• Petty patents
• Short term patents
• Design patents
• What makes a patent valuable
• Controversial subjects: Software patents