The IPKat IP Limerick Competition

Readers with a keen eye on their diaries will have noted that we have had in rather short succession World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April and National Limerick Day on 12 May.  The IPKat has decided to merge the two, and wishes to announce the running of an IP Limerick Competition.

To get readers in the mood, he will offer his own piece, which was in turn prompted by one from his friends at Managing Intellectual Property, whose opening lines he stole borrowed was inspired by.

The judges at the Supreme Court
Don’t always do what they ought
And so they malign
A breakthrough design
Whose representations fall short.

This pays homage to the recent Trunki decision, reported by the IPKat here.

So, for this competition, contestants are invited to contribute a limerick on the subject of a decision from a supreme court (or similar - including CJEU and Bundesgerichtshof*) in any country in the the world on any intellectual property or related matter.  The limerick should conform to the traditional aabba rhyme pattern of the example above and at least pay homage to the customary scansion. The submission should also include a reference to the case being referenced, and a very brief (50-100 words) precis of its subject matter.  Please identify yourself in your submission - anonymous submissions will be disregarded.   (*the IPKat realises that this will offend purists, but is adopting a purposive construction)

Please email your submissions to ipkatlimerick@gmail.com  Submissions made elsewhere (eg in the comments section of this post) will not be considered in the competition.

It is up to you whether you wish to complimentary or disparaging of the judgment concerned.  UK-based readers may wish to bear in mind that while scandalising the judiciary no longer constitutes contempt of court in England and Wales, the IPKat seems to recall that murmuring judges is still an offence in Scotland.

Submissions will be judged according to arbitrary and undisclosed criteria by this Kat and a volunteer from Managing Intellectual Property.  MIP has also kindly agreed to donate the prize, which will be one complimentary place at a Managing IP event of the winner's choice within the next 12 months.  This will include catering and CPD, but will exclude travel and accommodation expenses.

The deadline for submissions is 23 June 2016 - the same day as the UK vote on whether to leave the EU, to help you remember.

Authors will retain copyright in their submissions, but, by submitting their entries, grant the IPKat a licence to publish on this blog any entries that he chooses, including the winner and runners up. They will then be subject to the usual IPKat Creative Commons licence (see the IPKat sidebar).