LC4S125 - Information Technology Law 01 Sep 2013 - 31 Aug 2025 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: LC4S125
Module Title: Information Technology Law
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Law
Faculty Sub Group: Law
Module Leader: Hannah Menard
Module Team: Holly Evans, Iain Hammett
First Intended Intake: SEP 2013 Final Year of Intake: 2017
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100485 - law
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Sep 2013
Valid To 31 Aug 2025

Module Aims

To allow students to develop a systematic and comprehensive understanding of Information Technology Law through a critical and evaluative analysis of relevant principles and concepts.

Content Summary

  • This module will follow two main themes: development of the internet and protection of information.
  • The first part of the module will focus on the development of the internet; regulation; domain names; registration and rights; infringements of domain names; relationship of domain names and trade mark law and copyright and patent protection for computer software and hardware.
  • The latter part of the module will consider the protection of information; the status of information; protection of trade secrets; action for breach of confidence; e-commerce legislation; distance selling; encryption protection; electronic signatures; jurisdictional issues raised by the internet; liability of internet service providers; database copyright; database protection and meta tags.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 20
Seminar 25
Independent Study 80
Directed Study 75
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Undertake a critical discussion in relation to the principles and concepts of information technology law
LO2 Evaluate the practicalities of database copyright and protection

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Essay (CW) 1 N/a 0 6000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Essay (CW) 1 ✔ ✔

Reading List

Textbooks – current editions of:

Bainbridge: Intellectual Property Law, Pitman

Bainbridge, Casers and Materials in Intellectual Property Law, Pitman

Coleman. The Legal Protection of Trade Secrets, Sweet & Maxwell

Cornish, Cases and Materials on Intellectual Property Law, Sweet & Maxwell

Cornish, Intellectual Property, Sweet & Maxwell

Davies J: Intellectual Property Law Concise Text, Butterworths

Edwards & Waelde. Law and Internet – Regulating Cyberspace, Hart

Groves: Sourcebook on Intellectual Property Law, Cavendish

Hart & Fazzanni: Copyright and Design Laws, Butterworths

Holyoak & Torremans: Intellectual Property Law, Butterworths

Hull. Commercial Secrecy – Law and Practice, Sweet & Maxwell

Lloyd’ Information Technology Law, Butterworths

Lloyd & Simpson. Law on the Electronic Frontier, Butterworths

Phillips & Firth. Introduction to Intellectual Property Law, Butterworths

Rowland & McDonald. Information Technology Law, Cavendish

Journal

European Intellectual Property Review

Websites

Lawtel (http://www,lawtel.co.uk)

Westlaw (http://www.westlaw.co.uk)

Lexis (http://www.butterworths.co.uk)

Patent Office (http://www.patent.gov.uk)

Patent Court (http://www.courtservice.gov.uk)

Data Protection Registrar (http://www.open.gov.uk/dpr/dprhome.htm)

Copyright Licensing Agency (http://www.cla.co.uk)

Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (http://www.cipa.org.uk/)

European Patent Office (http://www.european-patent-office.org)

U.S. Patent and Trade Mark Office (http://www.uspto.gov)

World Intellectual Property Organisation (http://www.wipo.org)

E-Pages: International Journal of Law and Information Technology (http://www3.oup.co.uk/inttec)

Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk (http://www.cordis.lu/pr-helpdesk/en/home.htm)

Script (http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/scripts/pubs.htm)

Researching International Intellectual Property Law: Internet Resources by Lyonette Louis-Jaques (http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/~llou/intlip.html)

Jenkins Chartered Patent Agents (http://www.jenkins-ip.com)

Bird and Bird (http://www.twobirds.com)

Bristows (http://www.bristows.com)

European Intellectual Property Law List (http://www.ipjur.com)