IP Speaker Series - Justin Koo

Please join GW Law's Intellectual Property Law Program's Speaker Series with featured guest Professor Justin Koo, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.

Professor Koo will present his paper "Exporting Fair Use to Developing Copyright Systems." This paper explores whether or not more common law copyright regimes should move away from the UK-centric “fair dealing” exceptions and limitations to the US-styled “fair use” approach. The root of this proposed shift towards fair use would appear to be a desire for increased flexibility and agility in addressing contemporary copyright issues. Countries such as Israel, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Jamaica, and Barbados have already introduced various facets of fair use into their copyright statutes in lieu of fair dealing or as a means of interpreting fair dealing. However, it remains unclear whether a shift to fair use is practically desirable or feasible for countries with developing copyright systems.

This paper uses Trinidad and Tobago as a case study to analyze the challenges of importing fair use to a country with a developing, UK-influenced copyright regime. In particular, it looks at the viability and feasibility of using fair use outside the US context and the measures needed for the implementation of fair use.

Dr. Justin Koo is a Lecturer and Deputy Dean for Graduate Studies and Outreach at the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. He previously taught as a Teaching Fellow at University College London and as a Visiting Lecturer at King’s College London, where he completed both his LLM and PhD degrees. He is the author of the book The Right of Communication to the Public in EU Copyright Law, published by Hart.

Boxed lunches will be available for in-person attendees. 

There is no registration required for in-person attendance, but non-GW guests should email Ms. Claudia Delgado or Professor Barbara Lauriat for information on accessing the building.