7H015E - Patent Law 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2032 | Version 0

Associated Module Information

Module Code: 7H015E
Module Title: Patent Law
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Law
Faculty Sub Group: Law
Module Leader: Hannah Menard
Module Team: Adam Collins, Hayley Brain
First Intended Intake: SEP 2026 Final Year of Intake: 2031
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 15 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 0
Valid From 01 Sep 2026
Valid To 31 Aug 2032

Module Aims

  • To provide a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of advanced patent law principles, procedures and contemporary developments in domestic, European and international contexts. 

  • To develop students' ability to interpret, analyse and apply patent law principles and legal tests to complex technical and legal scenarios. 

  • To develop critical evaluation of legal, policy and commercial issues affecting patent protection, innovation and technological development. 

Content Summary

This module examines advanced principles of patent law and the legal frameworks governing the protection of inventions within domestic, European and international contexts. It moves beyond foundational concepts to develop a critical and analytical understanding of patentability, validity, infringement and the operation of patent systems and procedures. 

Through the analysis of technical and legal scenarios, students will critically evaluate patent law principles, legal tests and contemporary developments affecting innovation and technology. The module develops students' ability to interpret patent specifications, assess prior art, apply patentability requirements and analyse issues relating to novelty, inventive step, validity and infringement. Students will also consider broader legal, policy and commercial issues arising within patent law, including standard essential patents, technology transfer, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and public health. 

As part of the wider LLM Law and Intellectual Property, the module develops advanced skills in legal analysis, critical evaluation and structured reasoning, enabling students to assess complex patent law issues and engage with contemporary challenges affecting intellectual property protection and innovation. 

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 7
Practical Classes and Workshops 21
Independent study 110
Directed Study 12
Total Hours Selected 150

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of relevant patent law principles, legal frameworks and authoritative sources.
LO2 Interpret, evaluate and critically analyse patent law and related legal, policy and commercial issues.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Report Online, Individual 0 3000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report ✔ ✔

Reading List

Essential Reading 

  1. Aplin, T. and Davis, J. (2025) Intellectual Property Law: Text, Cases and Materials. 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  

  1. Bently, L., Sherman, B., Gangjee, D. and Johnson, P. (2022) Intellectual Property Law. 6th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  

  1. Cornish, W., Llewelyn, D. and Aplin, T. (2023) Intellectual Property: Patents, Copyright, Trade Marks and Allied Rights. 10th edn. London: Sweet & Maxwell.  

  1. Holyoak, J. and Torremans, P. (2024) Intellectual Property Law. 10th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

 

Supplementary Text 

  1. Hilty, R.M. and Liu, K.C. (eds.) (2021) Compendium of Patent Remedies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.  

  1. Pila, J. and Torremans, P. (2019) European Intellectual Property Law. 3rd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  

  1. Pottage, A. and Sherman, B. (2010) Figures of Invention: A History of Modern Patent Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  

  1. Torremans, P. (ed.) (2024) Research Handbook on Patent Law. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. 

 

Recommended Journals 

  1. European Intellectual Property Review  

  1. GRUR International  

  1. Intellectual Property Quarterly  

  1. International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law (IIC)  

  1. Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice  

  1. Queen Mary Journal of Intellectual Property  

  1. World Patent Information