Co-Chair
Jeffrey Costellia
Co-Chair
Yoshifumi Onodera
Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee
The main areas are patents, trade marks, copyright, trade secrets and unfair competition. Allied to these are a number of related areas including data protection, database protection, privacy, design rights, domain names and the like.
In the entertainment law area the key focus is on the creation, provision and delivery of content in relation to print, films, broadcasts, cable programmes, musical works and sound recordings. There is also involvement with media law including defamation and privacy and authors' rights in a more general sense.
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
Innovations shaping tomorrow: IP, technology and communication in a new era
11 Nov - 13 Nov 2026
Seoul , South Korea
Publications
Protecting trade secrets in the age of remote work: a Nigerian perspective
This paper argues that technological advancements and regulatory gaps have created the ‘digital walkout’ where employees can exit organisations with valuable proprietary information in digital form. It contends that existing legal mechanisms are insufficient and advocates for a more robust, technology-responsive framework for trade secret protection in Nigeria.
Released on Jun 09, 2026
The seizure of evidence under Danish law: when an employee takes more than workforce to a competitor
Danish law provides a powerful civil remedy procedure for the seizure of evidence protected by intellectual property law, unlawful product imitation under marketing law and certain sui generis protection, including where a rightsholder suspects that such material, for example technical drawings, have been taken by a former employee to a competitor. The seizure of evidence may extend to electronic data stored outside Danish jurisdiction provided that the relevant material can lawfully and effectively be accessed from premises in Denmark.
Released on Jun 09, 2026
Access to professional email accounts: the struggle between GDPR data subject access rights and the right to evidence before French courts
Since becoming applicable on 25 May 2018, the GDPR has required employers, as data controllers, to respond to requests made by data subjects. Among the rights it grants is the right of access under Article 15: the right to obtain confirmation that personal data are being processed and to receive a copy thereof, including the content of the messages and their technical metadata. Initially intended to enable individuals to verify the lawfulness of data processing, this right has become a tool for employees seeking to build a case against their employer.
Released on Jun 09, 2026
Walking out the door in Brazil: trade secrets, confidential information and post-employment obligations
This article examines the Brazilian legal framework governing the protection of trade secrets and confidential information in the context of employment relationships, with a particular focus on the obligations that persist after the employment bond is dissolved. It analyses the relevant statutory instruments, the role of unfair competition law as the primary post-employment enforcement mechanism, available remedies and emerging trends in the Brazilian courts.
Released on Jun 09, 2026
Projects and reports
Digital Regulations in the Metaverse Era: Metaverse Guide
As the metaverse continues to expand, it brings with it a myriad of opportunities and challenges that span across various legal and regulatory domains. This guide aims to provide a thorough understanding of these complexities, offering insights into the digital regulatory environment for a number of jurisdictions worldwide.
Read the guideSubcommittees and other groups
The Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Copyright and Entertainment Law Subcommittee
- Emerging Intellectual Property Rights Subcommittee
- Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee Advisory Board
- IP and Entertainment Law Publications Subcommittee
- IP Transactions and Technology Transfer Subcommittee
- Patent Law Subcommittee
- Trademark Law Subcommittee
Film
VIDEO - Blocking of social media accounts and websites
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2023 in Paris discusses how to intervene for clients, the complexities of policing the online world and counterbalancing free speech and public interest.
Join us on LinkedIn
If you are a member of the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee, for additional networking opportunities, programs, interviews with fellow members and tips all exclusive to members, join our LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12848041/.