Innovation and intellectual property
Intellectual property law has for centuries formed the basis of a system designed to protect invention and promote innovation. But a rise in abusive, oftentimes frivolous, litigation is prompting a rethink of patent law – with the United States front and centre as potential reform looms.
There is no substitute for a good idea
In its most broad sense, that sentiment has been the foundation for intellectual property protections dating back as far as the Ancient Greeks. While not codified in law, the premise held was that by awarding effective monopolies to novel ideas, new concepts and developments could be shared with the world without fear of duplication. That concept evolved over centuries, as the relative protections afforded by intellectual property legislation developed into what we now know as modern patent law.
