This case was a reference for a preliminary ruling from the Federal Court of Justice in Germany. Since 1997, the applicant, Brüstle, held a German patent for the extraction of precursor cells from human embryonic stem cells. The patent specification claimed that it was a potential method of treating various neurological diseases.
Judgment of Clarke J delivered on 20/09/2011, High Court, [2011] IEHC 357 Disclosure order – third-party funder – maintenance and champerty – jurisdiction of court – early stages of proceedings – impecunious party – legitimate interest – security for costs – neither necessary nor proportionate – potentially post-judgment.
The much-anticipated report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears was published last week. The Working Group, chaired by Declan Keane, was established to devise a solution to the problems of the over-indebtedness of mortgage holders. The analysis was based on data from the Central Bank.
The last of the bankruptcy provisions in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 came into force on the 10th October 2011, section 30(g) of which amends s 85 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has made a ruling on the intellectual property rights of the English Premier League. These joined cases (C-403/08 and C-429/08) were references for preliminary rulings from the High Court of England and Wales.
It sets out a new regulatory framework for the legal profession and implements the recommendations of the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland. The Bill is expected to be published in the week beginning Oct 10th.
Mark McLaughlin reports on the Private Client Update 2011 conference, presented by IBC on 4 October 2011, at the Millennium Knightsbridge Hotel, London. The speakers were Chris Whitehouse of 5 Stone Buildings, Emma Chamberlain of Pump Court Tax Chambers, Robert Jamieson of Mercer and Hole, and Mark Herbert QC of 5 Stone Buildings.