PR Wire
http://www.prwire.com.au/pr/19916/keeping-ip-rights-where-they-belong
Patents are being issued in sectors where there is no real need for intellectual property (IP) laws, thereby changing the economics of those fields, creating barriers to entry and impeding competition, says Pamela Samuelson, Richard M. Sherman Distinguished Professor of Law at Berkeley Law. A speaker at the marcus evans IP Law Summit Fall 2010, taking place in Las Vegas, September 12-14, Samuelson talks about her efforts on keeping IP protection where it belongs, and ensuring the rules do not hinder progress in the industries they serve.
There is no one size fits all attitude towards IP rights. It depends on the industry sector. However, what I am trying to do is prevent patents from spilling over into sectors where they have not traditionally belonged and where there is no real need for IP rights. The legal profession is one example; patents have been issued on methods of selecting juries, tax strategies and methods for organizing legal information.