National Workshop on Doctrinal Legal Research, 08-10.8.2016

  The Centre for Criminology and Victimology headed by Prof (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai at National Law University, Delhi organized a ‘National Workshop on Doctrinal Legal Research’ from 08^th -10^th August 2016 under the auspices of Professor Theodore Eisenberg Centre for Empirical Legal Research. The workshop consisted of 45 participants and 6 resource persons. Total 12 sessions were done that covered different aspects of doctrinal legal research including Atlas-Ti software. The course was designed to serve a systematic introduction of doctrinal aspects of legal research. It aimed to introduce specific tools and techniques including the application of software like Atlas Ti. The workshop aimed at strengthening the faculty and researchers both. The resource persons were invited from various fields of specializations having vast experience and knowledge in their respective areas to cater the demand of the workshop. The workshop has achieved the object to great extent.

This workshop was coordinated by Mr. Sidharth Dahiya, Research Associate (law) National Law University ,Delhi

Course on 'Comparative Contract Law & Practice' by Prof. Stefan Vogenauer, May 12-22, 2016

  National Law University, Delhi, organized a MHRD GIAN course on “Comparative Contract Law and Practice” under the GIAN scheme of the MHRD, from 12^th May 2016 – 22^nd May 2016. The course received an overwhelming response and was attended by 60 participants, including both students from National Law University, Delhi, and external participants which consisted of law professors, practitioners, Ph.D. candidates and students of law from various National Law Universities, and other prominent law institutions  across India.

The course was instructed by Prof. Stefan Vogenauer, Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for European Legal History, Frankfurt. Prof. Vogenauer is a renowned scholar of Comparative Contract Law, and his writings on the UNIDROIT principles, harmonization of global contract law, CISG and related areas are bested only by his outstanding academic career and achievements.

Professor Vogenauer had been the Linklaters Professor of Comparative Law at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Brasenose College since 2003. He was Director of the Oxford Institute of European and Comparative Law for eleven years, during 2004 to 2015. Professor Vogenauer was convener of the BCL/MJur course in 'European Private law: Contract'. Further courses and classes taught while in Oxford include 'Transnational Commercial Law', 'Problems in Contract (German and English Law Compared)', 'Introduction to Comparative Law', 'The Common Law for Civil Lawyers' and 'Roman Law of Contract'. He has held visiting positions at the universities of Melbourne, Paris II and Stellenbosch, and also at Bucerius Law School, New York University (NYU) and the University of Texas at Austin.

The course gave students a broad outlook of comparative contract law, with exciting comparisons of key contract law concepts from different jurisdictions; common law systems such as English law, and civilian law systems such as German and French Laws. The presence of professors and practitioners in the audience also helped stimulate in-depth discussions about how Indian law was, compared to the aforementioned systems. An analysis of these different jurisdictions was concluded by discussing the key principles imbibed in the current transnational legal instruments, such as the CISG, or the UNIDROIT. The lectures covered both the substantive content of the laws, and how it was applied in practice, in various jurisdictions. The evolution of these legal concepts was traced back from history, to study how and why the current legal concepts came to be formed in these legal systems.

To introduce a more holistic coverage of contract laws, 3 special sessions supplementary to the course lectures were also organized: on 13^th May, Prof. M.P. Singh gave a stimulating discourse on Comparative Constitutional Law and its implications on contract law; on 18^th May, Prof. B.T. Kaul discussed with the participants the position of employment contracts in India in the context of labour law, and how the position was compared to foreign legal systems; on 19^th May, Dr. Akhil Prasad (General Counsel, Boeing India) had an interactive session with the participants about “Damages and Penalty Clauses” in cross-border contracts and State contracts, and its practical implications on business. Apart from these special lectures, a one day seminar was organized on “Bankruptcy and Cross-border Insolvency laws in India: The way ahead” in which panelists included, Hon’ble Justice Rajiv Shakhder, Dr. T.K. Viswanathan, and Prof. Ajay Shah.

Dr. Risham Garg, Assistant Professor at NLU Delhi was the course coordinator & host faculty for the course. Dr. Risham Garg holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), in the field of International Contracts. He teaches courses on ‘Bankruptcy Insolvency & Restructuring’ and ‘International Commercial Laws’ in the LLM programme, he also teaches courses in the BA.LLB. program on Law of Contracts, Sale of Goods and Seminar Courses of International Commercial Laws, Private International Law, Bankruptcy Law & Policy. He acts as an Arbitrator at the Willem C. Vis Moot. He has been a Visiting Research Scholar at UNCITRAL, Vienna.  Since February 2016, he has also been placed in charge, as Research Director, of the Centre for Transnational Commercial Law at NLU Delhi.

The 11-day course covered around 30 lectures with an evaluation at the last day. The course elicited positive feedback from participants. Prof. Vogenauer also distributed the Participation certificates to the course participants. Prof. Vogenauer also addressed students of the BALLB 1^st year in their contracts class.

CIIPC Roundtable on Innovation, IP and Competition, April 1-2, 2016

  The First Annual Roundtable on Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition was inaugurated on 1st April 2016, with a welcome message from Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, the Vice Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi. The Vice Chancellor welcomed the guest from India. Introduction to the Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition at National Law University, Delhi, was offered by Dr. Arul George Scaria and Mr. Yogesh Pai. They highlighted the role and objectives of CIIPC and introduced the team members.This was followed by a keynote address by Professor Christine Greenhalgh, Department of Economics, University of Oxford on the draft National IP Policy of India, specifically on the standard of inventive step in patent law, the patentability of software, the introduction of a utility model for patents, and the need for a codified trade secret law. The Dinner Keynote was wrapped up with a vote of thanks from Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai, the Registrar of National Law University, Delhi; and the night was capped off with a network dinner, where all the participants had an opportunity to get acquainted with each other.

On 2nd April 2016, the Roundtable discussions began with a session on ‘Innovation Economics: What can it teach IP Policy-making in India’, chaired by Prof. (Dr.) Prabuddha Ganguli, Ministry of HRD Chair on IPR, Tezpur University, Assam. The participants approached the issue of IP policy from an economic perspective, with a focus on the effect it may have on innovation. The consensus that emerged from this discussion was a need to gather and analyze empirical data in order to frame an effective IP policy that has desirable effects on innovation.

The second session on ‘Assessing the Role of Patents and Competition Policy in Technology Markets: Business and Regulation Perspective’ was chaired by Mr. Pravin Anand, Managing Partner at Anand & Anand. This session was enriched by diverse perspectives on the effect patent & competition law has/may have on the technology markets, as the participants represented different stake holders in the debate – including a Member of the Competition Commission of India, practitioners in the field of patent law, and a representative of business groups such as Qualcomm and Intel.

Lunch was followed by the highly anticipated third session on Intellectual Property and Competition Law in India: Issues of Jurisdiction & Role of Courts’, chaired by Prof. Jay Kesan, University of Illinois. This session was particularly relevant in view of the recent judgment of the Delhi High Court in Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson v. Competition Commission of India & Anr., on the role of the CCI in patent – related matters. The participants were legal practitioners, who engaged in a critical analysis of the issue from a statutory as well as practical perspective.

The final session on ‘FRAND in India from a Comparative Perspective & the DIPP Discussion Paper on SEPs’ was chaired by Hon’ble Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, a sitting judge at the Delhi High Court. During this session, the participants considered the queries raised by the DIPP in the Discussion Paper on SEPs, and discussed the scope & ambit of Standard Setting Organizations (SSOs), as well as the nature & effect of FRAND obligations in India. The participation of Hon’ble Justice S. Ravindra Bhat greatly enriched the session, as his contribution added a much-needed judicial perspective on these issues.

The Rountable ended with official launch of the website of the Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition ( www.ciipc.org ) by Hon’ble Justice S. Ravindra Bhat followed vote of thanks and high-tea.

Events and activities at CIIPC can be viewed at: http://ciipc.org/

CIIPC team can be reached at ciipc@nludelhi.ac.in

Short Term Course on Gender Sensitization Training for Investigation Officers of Delhi Police, 29-31.3.2016

  The Centre for Criminology and Victimology, National Law University Delhi has organised a three days Gender Sensitization Training Course for the Investigation Officers during 29 to 31March, 2016. The course was attended by 106 Investigation Officers of South- West district of Delhi Police. The in-house and visiting faculty conducted various sessions pertaining to Investigations, arrest, vulnerable victims by police and dealing with the women and child victims. The course received remarkable feedback from the participants.

The Centre for Criminology and Victimology proposes to continue with such programme in future as well.

Course on Criminal Law: Contradictions & Critique

The Centre for Criminology and Victimology and K. L. Arora Chair on Criminal Law, National Law University, Delhi organized a short course by Professor Alan Norrie, School of Law, University of Warwick on the topic - Criminal Law: Contradictions & Critique - a one credit course under the Global Initiative of Academic Network (GIAN). Professor Alan Norrie is a distinguished authority in the area of philosophy and critical criminal law. He is also the President of International Association for Critical Realism (IACR). Prof. Alan Norrie delivered lectures between 14-18, March 2016, which included two public lectures, the first Public Lecture took place at Indian Law Institute, New Delhi on the topic, 'Between the Power of Love and the Love of Power' on 17th March 2016 and second public lecture on the topic, 'Justice and the Slaughter-Bench’ on 18th March 2016 at National Law University, Delhi.  More than 70 participants including students, research scholars, academicians, lawyers and faculty members  from NLU Delhi and other reputed institutions participated in this course.