Commercial courts discuss intellectual property law

MANILA, Philippines — Special commercial court judges nationwide have gathered to discuss emerging challenges in intellectual property (IP) law amid rapid technological change.

The Supreme Court (SC) hosted the National Judicial Colloquium on Intellectual Property Adjudication, a two-day event which brought together judges who had completed a specialized course on IP.

The colloquium was hosted in partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The event aimed to “strengthen judicial capacity, promote consistency in rulings and address emerging challenges in IP law,” according to the SC.

“Effective adjudication of intellectual property cases is a vital safeguard for innovators and creators for whom the Constitution stands guard,” SC Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, vice chairperson of the SC subcommittee on commercial courts, said.

He said the event is a “beacon of cooperation and progress” and reaffirmed the SC’s commitment to reinforcing the country’s IP legal framework.

For her part, retired SC associate justice Rosmari Carandang, the chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy, said the program was designed to meet the evolving needs of courts amid a landscape of increasingly complex IP issues.

The colloquium featured hands-on workshops where judges worked in groups to solve case problems involving key IP law issues.

The sessions were guided by a roster of national and international experts.

Experts included Justice Cameron Moore of the Federal Court of Australia, who discussed patent law and Justice Soumen Sen of India’s Calcutta High Court, who provided insights on trademark and copyright adjudication.

Justice Moore stressed the value of sharing perspectives across different jurisdictions, while Justice Sen underscored how IP law in India continues to evolve in response to new challenges.

IPOPHL director general Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz encouraged the participants to remain open to different perspectives and to learn from one another’s experiences.