IP law in Colombia: now here's a book

A handsome-looking copy of a well-produced little book, Intellectual Property Law in Colombia, by Daniel Pena and Maria Catalina Carmona, has recently found its way on to my desk.  To my delight, I discovered that it was English. I then discovered why: it all goes to the book's provenance. As the publishers, Wolters Kluwer, explain:

"Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this monograph provides a survey and analysis of the rules concerning intellectual property rights in Colombia. It covers every type of intellectual property right in depth – copyright and neighbouring rights, patents, utility models, trademarks, trade names, industrial designs, plant variety protection, chip protection, trade secrets, and confidential information. Particular attention is paid throughout to recent developments and trends. 

The analysis approaches each right in terms of its sources in law and in legislation, and proceeds to such legal issues as subject matter of protection, conditions of protection, ownership, transfer of rights, licences, scope of exclusive rights, limitations, exemptions, duration of protection, infringement, available remedies, and overlapping with other intellectual property rights. The book provides a clear overview of intellectual property legislation and policy, and at the same time offers practical guidance on which sound preliminary decisions may be based. Lawyers representing parties with interests in Colombia will welcome this very useful guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its value in the study of comparative intellectual property law".

Appearing some four years after the first version came out, this is very much a descriptive, highly-focused no-nonsense book, very much for the practitioner seeking to understand the structure of Colombian IP or to home in on a specific provision of it. This is its strength and it will be a useful tool for anyone who needs to dig into the local legal IP landscape.

Bibliographic data: publication date December 2011 (though the copyright notice says '2012'. ISBN 9041138870; ISBN 13: 9789041138873. 222 pages. Paperback. US$ $103. Web page here