News and Events

TUJ Law Event: Should Your DNA be Given Trademark Protection in Japan? Nontraditional Trademark Protection and Why Japan Should Not Follow the American Lead

Date:: Monday, September 14, 2009
Speaker:: Professor Kenneth Port, Professor of Law and Director of Intellectual Property Law Studies at William Mitchell College of Law in Minnesota
Time:: 7:00 p.m. - Light Dinner
8:00 p.m. - Presentation commences
Venue:: Temple University School of Law, Tokyo Campus - Mita Hall, 5th Floor (Map)
RSVP:: Please RSVP to facilitate catering arrangements. Please RSVP to fwla.events@gmail.com by 12:00 Noon on Friday, September 11th.
Fee:: FWLA Members ¥3,000
Full-Time Student Members ¥1,500
Non-Members and Guests ¥5,000
Student Non-Members and Guests ¥2,000 (please present student ID).

About the Event

Professor Port will explain proposed legislation in Japan that would allow trademark protection for nontraditional things such as motion, holograms, scent and, yes, DNA which are now eligible for trademark protection in the United States and, based on the U.S. experience, why he believes this is not a step in the right direction.

Professor Port focuses on U.S. and international trademark law and policy. He is fluent in Japanese and also conducts research and writes on a host of issues regarding law in Japan. He has been a Fulbright visiting scholar to Tokyo University twice and won the Lada Memorial Award in 1995. He also is a special consultant to the government of Jordan assisting with the drafting of Jordan's unfair competition and trade secret legislation.