LibGuides: International Intellectual Property Research Guide: Patents

Primary Law

As far as primary sources, Westlaw and Lexis have case law and statutes for selected countries. Primary law for specific countries can be found on the Internet - use the guides linked below to help you find it.

WIPO Lex
WIPO Lex is a global database that provides free of charge access to legal information on intellectual property (IP) such as treaties administered by WIPO, other IP-related treaties, and laws and regulations of the Members States of WIPO, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) Case Law Database
"contains legal and administrative decisions from national courts and regional administrative bodies in and operating for PCT Contracting States." Cases from Canada, the EPO, India, Israel, the UK, and the US.
EPO Board of Patent Appeals Decision Database
via the European Patent Office website. Includes appeals by patent applicants against the Examining Divisions and appeals by either party against adverse decisions of an Opposition Division. These decisions are not binding precedent on subsequent cases.
Also see Enlarged Board of Appeals Cases. Enlarged boards are formed to hear important issues. Also hears cases referred to it by the President of EPO (often because various boards have issued conflicting holdings.) These decisions are not binding, but are persuasive.
Unified Patent Court Decisions and Orders
The UPC is a Court common to currently seventeen EU Member States for which the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) has entered into force on 1 June 2023.
European National Patent Reports
Westlaw - since 2000
National Law Relating to the European Patent Convention
With its "National law relating to the EPC" booklet, the EPO aims to provide a concise guide to the most important provisions and requirements of the relevant national law in the EPC contracting states.
Canada Intellectual Property Cases
via Westlaw
United Kingdom Cases: Reports of Patent Cases
Decisions, judgments, and orders from the United Kingdom Patent Office and U.K. courts. Coverage begins with 1977. Via Westlaw
United Kingdom Cases: Intellectual Property
Combination database containing U.K. and European decisions from Sweet & Maxwell's Entertainment and Media Law Reports, European Trade Mark Reports, Fleet Street Reports, Reports of Patent Cases, and European Patent Office Reports. Coverage begins with 1966. Via Westlaw
Internet Sources for IP Case Law (from WIPO)

Databases - Secondary Sources mostly

Lexis Practical Guidance: International Patent Considerations
Practice notes, checklists, articles & secondary materials.
Lexis Patent Law Treatises
Lexis includes patent law treatises specific to Russia, China, Canada, Eastern Europe and Asia.

International Patent Law Treatises

Patent Law Fundamentals by Daniel Brean; Ned Snow
Call Number: Westlaw

Publication Date: 2020-08-01

Multivolume. Chapters 21-39 deal with transnational and international patent law, as well as the law in specific countries.
The Practitioner's Guide to the PCT (patent cooperation treaty), Second Edition by Jay A. Erstling; Megan M. Miller
Call Number: Akron Law Digital

Publication Date: 2024-02-13
World Patent Law and Practice by J. W. Baxter; John P. Sinnott
Call Number: Lexis

Describes the complete patent process, from filing to grant, for all industrialized nations. Organized by the patent process, this source includes country by country charts and footnotes indicating the law in different countries.