WIPO ADR survey addresses some patent litigators' interests too

Who's talking about patent disputes? Some
people are even arguing over how to
complete the WIPO online survey

PatLit received this email from WIPO yesterday.  Its contents are self-explanatory.  If you are involved in the resolution of disputes arising from technology transactions, it may concern you -- and although it is aimed at ADR some of the questions either point to litigation directly or deal with negotiated settlements of disputes which will have reached the stage at which litigation has commenced.

Please take a look at the survey and, if you can, complete it.  Though some of the methodology looks a bit shaky, it will provide WIPO with some relatively meaningful data, which can only help to improve WIPO's (and our own) understanding of the ways in which technology-related disputes are being addressed.

The WIPO email reads as follows:

"The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center is conducting an International Survey on Dispute Resolution in Technology Transactions (http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/center/survey/).

The questionnaire has been developed with the support of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), the Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle (FICPI) and the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) and in collaboration with in-house counsel and external experts in technology disputes from different jurisdictions and business areas. 

This Survey is addressed to companies, research organizations, universities, government bodies, law firms, individuals and other entities involved in technology licensing and technology disputes. A response from your legal or patent department, technology transfer office or other internal unit dealing with patent and technology licensing and/or litigation/dispute resolution is key to the success of the Survey. The WIPO Center would very much appreciate your distributing this Survey within your entity where appropriate. If you are working in a law firm, we hope that you are prepared either to complete this Survey on behalf of one of your clients most relevant in this context, or to distribute this Survey to selected clients.

The WIPO Center will provide you as a participating respondent with a preview of the Survey results prior to full publication in a WIPO Center report.  We would also be pleased to offer to you or to one of your colleagues access to WIPO Center Workshops at a considerably reduced registration fee (http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/events/index.html). 

The Survey webpage (http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/center/survey/) provides any completion guidance you may seek.  You may also contact the WIPO Center at arbiter.mail@wipo.int or by phone in Geneva (+41 22 338 8247) or Singapore (+65 6225 2129). 

We are fully aware that your time is precious and would truly appreciate your willingness to participate in this Survey.

Yours sincerely,

Erik Wilbers

Director

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center"