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Northern Ireland: better known
for its climate than for its IP? |
Today's
post on PatLit about litigating patents in Northern Ireland set me thinking. While Northern Ireland is governed by much the same statutory provisions covering intellectual property law as is the rest of the United Kingdom, its small population (fewer than 2 million) and largely agrarian economy probably offer less scope for developing an intellectual property-based practice and in building concentrations of expertise. Also, because of its geographical isolation, IP practitioners must inevitably find it difficult to network with professional colleagues, attend seminars and so on. The spread of the internet and the increased use of webinars, Skype and the social media may have ameliorated the position, but being an IP specialist in private practice in Northern Ireland must still be quite a lonely job.
Does SOLO IP have any Northern Ireland readers out there who would like to share their thoughts and feelings with others -- or who can disabuse this blogger of the impression he has painted above? If so, we'll be delighted to hear from you.
