INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW QUESTIONS

GROUP 1

Question 1:

Jane worked at TechSolutions for five years, where she had access to a
proprietary software algorithm that the company had developed. After
leaving TechSolutions, she joins a competitor, InnovateTech, and uses the
same algorithm to help InnovateTech develop a similar product.
TechSolutions discovers this and decides to take legal action. What are the
legal issues involved, and what could be the possible outcomes?

Question 2:

Acme Corp has developed a new manufacturing process that significantly

reduces production costs. They maintain this process as a trade secret.
During a factory tour for potential investors, an employee accidentally
reveals key details of the process. One of the investors shares this
information with a rival company, which then uses it to improve their own
processes. What are the implications for Acme Corp, and can they still
protect their trade secret?

GROUP 2

Question 3:

BrightLight Inc. has a patented product, but they also have a trade secret
formula for the coating material used in their product. DarkHorse Ltd., a
competitor, legally purchases several of BrightLight’s products and reverse
engineers the coating material to create a similar product. BrightLight
discovers this and considers taking legal action. Can BrightLight successfully
claim trade secret misappropriation?

Question 4:

EcoGreen Industries developed a unique process for recycling plastics and

kept it as a trade secret. Meanwhile, GreenTech Innovations, without any

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knowledge of EcoGreen’s process, independently develops a similar process.
EcoGreen learns about GreenTech’s process and accuses them of trade
secret theft. What are the key considerations, and what might the outcome
be?

GROUP 3

Question 5:

Alex Corp has registered an industrial design for a unique lamp with intricate
patterns. Bright Lamps, a competitor, starts selling a lamp that looks
strikingly similar to Alex Corp’s design. Alex Corp believes this is an
infringement of their registered design and decides to take legal action.
What are the legal issues involved, and what could be the possible
outcomes?

Question 6:

CoolWear designs a unique, stylish jacket but does not register the design.
FastFashion, a larger competitor, sees the jacket and starts mass-producing
a similar design. CoolWear learns about this and wants to know if they can
take any legal action to protect their design. What options does CoolWear
have?

GROUP 4

Question 7:

InnoTools designs a new type of wrench that has a unique, ergonomic handle
design. They register the design, emphasizing the aesthetic aspects of the
handle. ToolMasters, a competitor, produces a wrench with a similar
ergonomic handle but claims their design is based on functional
improvements rather than aesthetics. InnoTools decides to sue for design
infringement. What are the legal issues, and what could be the possible
outcomes?

Question 8:

CreativeToys applies for an industrial design registration for a new toy car
with a distinctive shape and color pattern. During the examination process, a
previously published design from another company, FunWheels, is found to

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be quite similar. The registration office raises concerns about the novelty of
CreativeToys’ design. What are the key considerations, and what might the
outcome be?

GROUP 5

Question 9:

SmartGadgets holds a registered design for a sleek new smartphone case.

They receive an offer from a larger company, GadgetPro, to license the
design for manufacturing and distribution. What are the important factors
SmartGadgets should consider before entering into a licensing agreement?

Question 10:

A cooperative of coffee farmers in the Kilimanjaro region wants to establish a

geographical indication for their unique coffee, known for its distinct flavor
due to the region’s soil and climate. What steps must they take to obtain GI
protection in Tanzania, and what criteria must be met?

GROUP 6

Question 11:

A company in Dar es Salaam starts selling coffee labeled as "Kilimanjaro

Coffee" without sourcing it from the Kilimanjaro region. The Kilimanjaro
coffee cooperative learns about this and decides to take legal action. What
are the legal issues involved, and what could be the possible outcomes?

Question 12:

A Tanzanian company markets its tea as "Mwanza Tea," claiming that it

comes from the Mwanza region. However, the name "Mwanza" is also widely
used to refer to the region itself. How might the company ensure that
"Mwanza Tea" can be protected as a GI, and what challenges might they
face?

GROUP 7

Question 13:

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A consortium of Tanzanian producers of "Tanga Mangoes" seeks to enforce
their GI in a foreign country where a local company is selling mangoes under
the same name but not meeting the GI standards. What steps can the
consortium take to protect their GI abroad?

Question 14:

A Tanzanian company has registered a trademark "Arusha Delight" for a

beverage produced outside the Arusha region. A group of Arusha beverage
producers objects, claiming the trademark infringes on their GI for beverages
produced in Arusha. What are the legal issues, and how might the conflict be
resolved?

GROUP 8

QUESTION 15:

A Tanzanian musician has composed and recorded a new song that has
become very popular. Another artist in Tanzania wants to use a portion of
that particular song in their own recording without permission. What legal
recourse does the original musician have under the Tanzanian copyright law?

QUESTION 16:

A Tanzanian software developer has created a new mobile application that

helps farmers track their crop yields. A company from another country wants
to copy the application and sell it without the developer’s permission in
Tanzania. How can the developer protect their software under Tanzanian
copyright law?

GROUP 9

QUESTION17:

A Tanzanian author has written a bestselling novel that has been adapted
into a play by a theatre group in Tanzania. The theatre group wants to
perform the play for a fee without compensating the author. What steps can
the author take to enforce their copyright in Tanzania?

QUESTION 18:

A Tanzanian artist has created a beautiful painting that is being reproduced

and sold without permission on various merchandise items such as t-shirts

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and mugs. What legal actions can the artist take to stop the unauthorized
use of their artwork under Tanzanian copyright law?

GROUP 10

QUESTION 19:

A Tanzanian storyteller shares traditional folk tales that have been passed
down orally for centuries. A publishing company wants to compile these
stories into a book and sell it without compensating the storyteller or
acknowledging the cultural origins of the tales. What legal frameworks in
Tanzania can be used t protect the rights of the storyteller and the cultural
heritage embedded in the folk tales?

QUESTION 20:

A Tanzanian community has a traditional dance that is performed during

important cultural ceremonies. A dance group from another country wants to
incorporate this dance into their performance without acknowledging the
Tanzanian community’s cultural heritage. What legal mechanisms exist in
Tanzania to protect the traditional dance as folklore?

GROUP 11

QUESTION 21:

A Tanzanian artisan creates unique handicrafts that incorporate traditional

designs and motifs passed down through generations within their
community. A foreign company wants to mass-produce and sell these
handcrafts without permission. How can the Tanzanian artisan protect their
traditional designs and prevent unauthorized commercial exploitation?

QUESTION 22:

‘The law of copyright is concerned with protecting quality, not quantity.’

Discuss with reference to decided cases.

GROUP 12

QUESTION 23:

‘Copyright does not protect ideas, only their expression.’ Discuss.

Question 24:

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A Tanzanian agricultural research institute develops a new drought-resistant
maize variety. They want to obtain legal protection for this new variety. What
steps must they take to register the new plant variety in Tanzania, and what
criteria must the variety meet?

GROUP 13

Question 25:

GreenAgro Ltd. has registered a new variety of tomatoes with plant breeders'
rights in Tanzania. Another company, FreshProduce Inc., starts selling
tomatoes that GreenAgro Ltd. believes are the same variety without
authorization. What are the legal issues involved, and what could be the
possible outcomes?

Question 26:

A small-scale farmer in Tanzania has been using a registered wheat variety

for several years and decides to save seeds from their harvest to plant next
season. The company holding the plant breeders' rights for this variety
discovers this and threatens legal action. Can the farmer legally save and
replant the seeds, and what are the implications?

GROUP 14

Question 27:

A plant breeder in Tanzania wants to know how long their rights will be
protected after registering a new variety of cassava and whether they can
renew these rights. What is the duration of plant breeders' rights in
Tanzania, and what are the procedures for renewal?

Question 28:

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An agricultural company in Tanzania develops a new variety of rice and
obtains plant breeders' rights. A few years later, another company breeds a
new rice variety by using the protected variety as a parent. Can the second
company legally sell the new variety without infringing the original plant
breeders' rights?

GROUP 15

Question 29:

A Tanzanian university researcher has invented a new method for processing

cassava to increase its shelf life. They want to obtain patent protection for
this invention. What steps must they take to file a patent application in
Tanzania, and what criteria must the invention meet?

Question 30:

TechInnovate Ltd. holds a patent for a solar-powered water pump in

Tanzania. Another company, WaterSolutions Inc., starts manufacturing and
selling a similar water pump that TechInnovate believes infringes on their
patent. What are the legal issues involved, and what could be the possible
outcomes?

GROUP 16

Question 31:

A pharmaceutical company in Tanzania holds a patent for a life-saving drug.

However, the drug is very expensive, and the government decides that it is
in the public interest to make the drug more accessible. What steps can the
government take under Tanzanian law to issue a compulsory license, and
what are the implications for the patent holder?

Question 32:

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An inventor in Tanzania holds a patent for an innovative irrigation system.
They want to know how long their patent will be protected and what they
need to do to maintain it. What is the duration of patent protection in
Tanzania, and what are the requirements for maintaining a patent?

GROUP 17

Question 33:

A Tanzanian community has traditionally used a specific plant extract for

medicinal purposes. A company wants to patent a formulation containing this
extract. What are the considerations regarding the patentability of inventions
based on traditional knowledge, and what steps must the company take to
ensure compliance with Tanzanian law?

Question 34:

A Tanzanian entrepreneur has created a unique logo and name for her new
line of organic skincare products. She wants to protect her brand by
registering a trademark. What steps must she take to register a trademark in
Tanzania, and what criteria must the trademark meet?

GROUP 18

Question 35:

EcoFresh Ltd., a company in Tanzania, has a registered trademark for its line
of eco-friendly cleaning products. Another company, CleanGreen Ltd., starts
selling similar products using a name and logo that closely resemble
EcoFresh’s trademark. What are the legal issues involved, and what actions
can EcoFresh Ltd. take?

Question 36:

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A Tanzanian beverage company, FreshBrew, learns that another company
has applied to register a similar trademark for its line of teas. FreshBrew
believes that the new trademark will cause confusion with its own brand.
What steps can FreshBrew take to oppose the registration, and what must
they demonstrate?

GROUP 19

Question 37:

A Tanzanian fashion designer registered a trademark for her clothing line 10

years ago. She wants to ensure her trademark remains protected. What are
the requirements for maintaining and renewing a trademark in Tanzania?

Question 38:

A Tanzanian tech company, SoftInnovate Ltd., wants to expand its brand

reach by allowing another company to use its registered trademark on
certain products. What considerations should SoftInnovate Ltd. take into
account when licensing its trademark, and what are the key elements of a
trademark licensing agreement?

GROUP 20

Question 39:

John is a musician in Tanzania who recently discovered that his song has
been used in a local TV commercial without his permission. What legal steps
can John take to address this copyright infringement?

Question 40:

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Maria is an author in Tanzania who has written a novel. She wants to ensure
that her work is protected under copyright law. What steps should she take
to register her copyright in Tanzania?

GROUP 21

Question 41:

A teacher in Tanzania wants to use excerpts from a copyrighted textbook in

her classroom for educational purposes. Is this allowed under Tanzanian
copyright law?

Question 42:

David is a Tanzanian blogger who wants to share articles from various news
websites on his blog. Can he do this without violating copyright laws?

GROUP 22

Question 43:

Alice is a singer who performed a song written by another artist. A radio

station in Tanzania has been playing a recording of her live performance
without her permission. What rights does Alice have, and what can she do to
protect them?

Question 44:

A Tanzanian record producer has created a sound recording for a local band.
Another record company has started selling copies of this recording without
authorization. What rights does the producer have, and what legal actions
can they pursue?

GROUP 23

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Question 45:

A Tanzanian television station discovers that a cable operator is

retransmitting its broadcasts without permission. What rights does the
television station have, and what steps can it take to address this issue?

Question 46:

How long do neighbouring rights last for performers, producers of sound

recordings, and broadcasting organizations in Tanzania?

GROUP 24

Question 47:

A group of performers in Tanzania wants to collectively manage their

neighbouring rights to ensure better enforcement and remuneration. How
can they achieve this?

Question 48:

Dr. Kofi, an inventor in Tanzania, has developed a new medical device and
wants to protect it across multiple African countries. How can he use ARIPO
to register his patent?

GROUP 25

Question 49:

A Tanzanian entrepreneur, Ms. Amina, wants to protect her brand name in

several African countries. How can she achieve this through ARIPO?

Question 50:

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A Tanzanian designer, Mr. Mwamba, has created a unique furniture design
and wants to protect it in several African countries. How can he use ARIPO to
achieve this?

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