Spoor & Fisher - Intellectual Property law specialists Patents, trade marks, copyright, design, domain names, South Africa and Africa

Dean Scoops LexisNexis Butterworth Prize for Best Article in De Rebus in 2006

Dr Owen Dean from Spoor & Fisher has been awarded the LexisNexis Butterworths’ Prize for the best article by a legal practitioner published in De Rebus in 2006.

12/07/2007

The Dinosaur Status of Copyright

Dr. Owen Dean

Copyright in South Africa runs the risk of becoming an endangered species and ultimately suffering the fate of the dinosaur. The reason for this

12/06/2007

The Lion Song Fact Sheet

Dr. Owen Dean

In l939, a Zulu migrant worker and entertainer who called himself Solomon Linda stood before a microphone in Johannesburg´s first recording studio, improvising falsetto vocal lines against a rolling, driving vocal chant.

1/03/2006

Audio Transcription of Interview on Classic FM on 2 October 2006; Copyright - Music

Duncan Maguire

TONY BLEWITT: Once again, on Classic Breakfast we are talking intellectual property. In actual fact today we are talking copyright. My guest on the telephone

2/10/2006

Blank Media Levy to be Revisited in South Africa?

Dr. Owen Dean

In the early 1980s the record industry, suffering at the hands of record pirates and finding the existing copyright laws to be ineffectual in curbing home taping

1/11/2006

SA Family Entitled to Lion’s Share of Royalties for Renowned Pop Song

Herman Blignaut

Mention the title THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT and it spontaneously brings to mind a pop song famous for its use not only through normal records

1/07/2006

Stalking the Sleeping Lion

Dr. Owen Dean

This article was first published in the July 2006 edition of De Rebus. INTRODUCTION “Your mandate is to find a way,

1/08/2006

The Battle of the Apples - Beatles Record Label Loses a Big Bite

Shamin Raghunandan

Ripe with symbolism of love and fertility, and iconic of temptation and desire, the apple must surely be the most evocative of all fruit. This comment

1/06/2006

Audio Transcription of Interview on Classic FM on 10 July 2006; Ambush Marketing

Dr. Owen Dean

TONY BLEWITT:Classic breakfast 102.7. Once again we are talking intellectual property with Spoor & Fisher. On the line now Dr Owen Dean from

10/07/2006

Audio Transcription of Interview on Classic FM on 5 June 2006; Computer Software

Dr. Owen Dean

TONY BLEWITT:Classic breakfast 102.7 and on the line Dr Owen Dean, one of the Partners at Spoor & Fisher. We are looking at intellectual property

5/06/2006

Audio Transcription of Interview on Classic FM on 29 May 2006; The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Dr. Owen Dean

TONY BLEWITT: We’re talking about intellectual property here on Classic FM with Spoor & Fisher and a partner at the company, Dr Owen Dean in the studio again. Owen, good morning. . . OWEN DEAN: Good morning to you. TONY BLEWITT:We s

29/05/2006

Infringement of Copyright by Reproducing Material Posted on a Website

Dr. Owen Dean

In a recent copyright infringement case arising out of the unauthorised reproduction of material appearing on a website, an out of court settlement was reached in terms of which the copyist agreed to pay compensation to the website owner, FindanAdvis

1/12/2005

Audio Transcription of Interview on Classic FM on 22 May 2006; The Da Vinci Code

Dr. Owen Dean

TONY BLEWITT: Once again we are talking about intellectual property with Spoor & Fisher and in the studio with me, Dr Owen Dean, a partner

22/05/2006

Follow the Lion's Trail by Independent Lens Series

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is one of the most recognisable pop songs in the world. But how many people realise that this American hit tune was actually written

1/04/2005

TRO/Folkways Offer to Pay All Future "Wimoweh" Royalties to the Family of Solomon Linda

Dr. Owen Dean

A settlement with the New York music publishing house that controls “Wimoweh”, the first of two international hits spawned by Linda’s 1939 song “Mbube”,

1/09/2004

The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Update

Dr. Owen Dean

The ongoing battle to have Solomon Linda recognised as the originator of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" came a little closer to victory on 7 September 2004

1/09/2004

Disney has 3 Weeks to "Free" Mickey Mouse

Dr. Owen Dean

The summons and particulars of claim in the landmark Solomon Linda case were served on Disney Enterprises Inc in the United States of America

1/07/2004

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Others "Kidnapped and Held Hostage" in Extraordinary Legal Proceeding

Dr. Owen Dean

Leading copyright lawyer at Spoor & Fisher, Dr Owen Dean, has been awarded a court order authorizing him to attach legendary Disney trade marks pending

1/07/2004

Dr. Owen Dean

The executor of the estate of the late Solomon Linda has brought a claim of copyright infringement based on the reversionary interest in the musical work entitled "Mbube" from which the well known hit song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", has allegedly

1/07/2004

Digital Copyright - Righting Wrongs?

Sasha Planting

Below is an article by Sasha Planting which originally appeared on the website of Futurecompany (http://www.futurecompany.co.za),

1/08/2001

Hugh Moubray

As South African companies come out of isolation to compete with foreign companies, many are finding that their slice of the pie of the South African market is

1/01/1990

Charles E. Webster

The Appellate Division has recently handed down an important judgment in copyright law, relating to copyright in a catalogue cum price list for gaskets

1/01/1990

Copyright Law: A Weapon Against Parallel Importation; (Frank & Hirsch (Pty) Ltd v A Roopanand Brothers (Pty) Ltd 1993 (4) SA 279 (A).

Charles E. Webster

INTRODUCTION This appeal related to an attempt to prevent "parallel importation" by relying on

1/01/1990

Dr Owen Dean

MEMORANDUM LEGAL / LEGISLATIVE ISSUES Cinematograph films are a species of work eligible for copyright under the

1/01/1990

Dr Owen Dean

INTRODUCTION Parallel imports, or so-called "grey goods" are goods which are freely available on the market in one country and which are imported into another country in conflict with the trading position of someone who has the exclusive righ

1/01/1990

Protection of the Author's Moral Rights in South Africa

Dr Owen Dean

Introduction The South African Copyright Act, 1978, regulates copyright and rights in the nature of copyright in South Africa

1/01/1990

Parallel Importation of Artistic Works; Frank and Hirsch (Pty) Ltd vs A. Roopanand Brothers (Pty) Ltd

Charles E. Webster

Full Names of Litigant Parties : Frank & Hirsch (Pty) Limited (Appellant) and A. Roopanand Brothers (Pty) Limited (Respondent)

1/01/1990

Sound Recordings - Introduction of Blank Tape Levy in Respect of Copyright in Sound Recordings in South Africa

Dr Owen Dean

The South African Government has given notice of a proposed amendment to the South African Copyright Act, 1978, so as to make provision for the introduction of a levy on the sale of blank tapes which would permit those tapes to be used for making

1/01/1990

Protection of Computer Programs by Copyright

Charles E. Webster

INTRODUCTION In the late 1970s and early 80s technological developments in the field of computers and the resulting increased need for and use of computer software

1/01/1990

Dr Owen Dean

The underlying principle behind intellectual property law is best described by a clause in the Constitution of the United States of America which reads:

1/01/1990

Protection of Computer Programs by Copyright in South Africa; How to Obtain Copyright in a Computer Program

Charles E. Webster

Copyright is a sub-species of intellectual property law, the other sub-species being patents, designs and trade marks. Over and above these intellectual property

1/01/1990

Who Owns the Soul of a Painting?

Dr. Owen Dean

The poets and the song writers talk of possessing the female objects of their affections "body and soul". They make a distinction between the physical

1/01/1990

Sound Recordings in South Africa; the Cinderella of the Copyright Family

Dr Owen Dean

Sound recordings as a class of work deserving of protection under the regime of intellectual property law are to a certain extent the step child of South African

1/01/1990

The Interplay Between Copyright and Design Protection

Dr Owen Dean

INTRODUCTION There is a measure of overlap between protection granted to artistic works under the Copyright Act and protection granted to designs of articles by virtue of registration under designs legislation. No essential change has been . . .

1/01/1990

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