Postgraduate study in intellectual property law

Intellectual property is an umbrella term that describes intangible products of the human mind that have value – ideas, creations, knowledge. Intellectual property can often be the most valuable asset of a business. The laws relating to how intellectual property is protected are fascinating, fast-changing, (at times) political and increasingly important.

Overview of Intellectual Property Courses

The Faculty of Law is actively developing its range of offering relating to intellectual property in its taught LLM and MLS postgraduate programmes.

In 2022 the following courses are being offered:

  1. LAWCOMM 772 – Intellectual Property and Practice (15 points)
  2. LAWCOMM 796 – Trade Marks and Related Rights (15 points)
  3. LAWCOMM 795 – Copyright and Design (15 points)

In 2023 the following courses are planned to be offered:

  1. LAWCOMM 772 – Intellectual Property and Practice (15 points)
  2. LAWCOMM 796 – Trade Marks and Related Rights (15 points)
  3. LAWCOMM 795 – Copyright and Design (15 points)
  4. LAWCOMM 793 – Patents and Related Rights (15 points)
  5. LAWCOMM 782 – Trade Mark Practice (15 points)

Digital course outlined for COMLAW 740A/B : The Tax Base

Teaching on our courses

Our courses provide detailed analyses of key intellectual property issues that you will confront in practice in conjunction with important insights into how the law applies in practice. Our courses able to deliver such content as they taught by leading researchers in the area of intellectual property, in combination with leading intellectual property practitioners. The Faculty is grateful for the support of James & Wells and A J Park in helping to teach LAWCOMM 772 and LAWCOMM 795.

What you will learn

The above courses have been designed to meet the “knowledge requirements” for those wanting to be registered as a Trans-Tasman patent attorney. Patent attorneys are highly qualified professionals that are in heavy demand in New Zealand and around the world.

To practise as a patent attorney in New Zealand, a person must be registered under a joint registration regime for patent attorneys in Australia and New Zealand. The Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board oversees this joint Trans-Tasman registration regime. Further more information about Registration requirements for patent attorneys and trade marks attorneys.

The University of Auckland does not yet offer courses for every topic group that is required for registration as a patent attorney or trade marks attorney. However, we have had LAWCOMM 772 (for topic groups A1, A2 and B) and LAWCOMM 796 (for topic group C) accredited with the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board until 18 November 2016.

As noted by the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board "It is strongly recommended that applicants seeking to be registered as a patent attorney have their academic qualifications (that is, degrees, doctorates etc. in a field of patentable subject matter) formally approved by the Board before they commence study of the nine topic groups (the knowledge requirements specifically concerning attorney practice).

Getting the academic qualifications approved first will minimise the likelihood that an applicant's time and money is wasted on study that will not receive approval for registration as a patent attorney”.