Patent Litigation in Northern Ireland: Siemens AG v Seagate Technology
"Litigate patents in Northern Ireland? Yes, it can be done" was the headline of the PatLit blog for its case note on Siemens A.G. v Seagate Technology (Ireland) Ltd [2011] NICh 12 as if the author of that piece had seen and heard a talking monkey. No discussion of the case other than the result, an aside from the judge and the delayed publication of the judgment. In a circular to Solo IP Practitioners that same day, Jeremy Phillips asked "Does SOLO IP have any Northern Ireland readers out there who would like to share their thoughts and feelings with others -- or who can disabuse this blogger of the impression he has painted above? If so, we'll be delighted to hear from you." That impression was of rain clouds with the caption "Northern Ireland - better known for its weather than for its IP". The circular continued: "its small population (fewer than 2 million) and largely agrarian economy probably offer less scope for developing an intel...