MVV59K Software Law

Faculty of Law
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
JUDr. Ing. František Kasl, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D. (lecturer)
JUDr. Josef Donát, LL.M. (seminar tutor)
doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. et Mgr. Ing. Jan Tomíšek, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D.
Institute of Law and Technology – Faculty of Law
Contact Person: Tereza Buchalová
Supplier department: Institute of Law and Technology – Faculty of Law
Timetable
Mon 23. 9. to Fri 20. 12. each odd Wednesday 14:00–15:40 041
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
MVV59K/01: Mon 30. 9. to Fri 20. 12. each even Wednesday 14:00–15:40 041, M. Myška
Prerequisites
Understanding of intellectual property law and contract law concepts.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 22/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aims of the course are:
to introduce software as the object of legal regulation;
to explain the basics of software and realted subject matter legal protection;
to present and explain the most important contractual issues of software law;
to present and explain legal aspects of software development.
Learning outcomes
Upon successfully completing this course, the students should be able to:
identify, compare and summarize the important aspects of various legal protection regimes applicable to software and its elements (e,g, GUI, interfaces) and related subject matter;
identify, describe and analyze the recent European case-law regarding software copyright;
describe the basic features of common standard software contracts (incl. contract of work, license agreement (incl. F/OSS) and SLA);
analyze and solve cases relating to legal protection of software.
Syllabus
  • Software Law - Introduction, Forms of Legal Protection, Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights
  • Software Development - Introduction for Lawyers
  • Copyright Protection: a Software-related introduction
  • Software Patents
  • Protection of Non-Literal Elements in Software
  • Data Protection and Software
  • Software Contracts I: Intro, Basic Contractual Issues
  • Software Contracts II: License Agreement, Contract for Work, Software Development and Distribution Contracts
  • Software Contracts III: F/OSS
  • Software Contracts IV: Service Level Agreement
  • Videogames
  • Artificial Intelligence and Software Development
Literature
    recommended literature
  • DREXL, Josef et al. Technical Aspects of Artificial Intelligence: An Understanding from an Intellectual Property Law Perspective (October 8, 2019). Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition Research Paper No. 19-13, dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.346557
  • JOHN SHAEFFER, 2017. Software as Text. Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal [online]. 20 February 2017. Vol. 33, no. 3, p. 324–414. Available from: http://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/chtlj/vol33/iss3/1.
  • BALLARDINI, Rosa Maria, 2012. Intellectual Property Protection for Computer Programs: Developments, Challenges, and Pressures for Change [online]. Helsinki: Svenska handelshögskolan. Available from: https://helda.helsinki.fi/dhanken/handle/10138/35504
  • SWINSON, John, 1991. Copyright or Patent or Both: An Algorithmic Approach to Computer Software Protection. Harvard Journal of Law & Technology. 1992 1991. Vol. 5, no. Fall, p. 145–214.
    not specified
  • Further reading will be provided in the interactive syllabus.
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars, e-learning, class discussions, contract revision, court submission preparation, issue presentation (ISP: + FIRAC case brief, position paper)
Assessment methods
Standard studies:
Participation in seminars is compulsory (one absence allowed).
Assessment of the tasks assigned during the semester such as: tests in the interactive syllabus; written court submission, presentation of a selected F/OSS licencse; contract revision. These task shall be prepared before the respective seminar.

Individual study plan:
No participation in seminars needed.
Assessment of the tasks assigned during the semester such as: tests in the interactive syllabus; written court submission, presentation of a selected F/OSS licencse; contract revision. These task shall be prepared before the respective seminar.
One FIRAC case brief
One position paper on selected journal paper
Sum-up written test (20 questions, 4 options, one correct, no penalty points, 60% for pass, only legislative texts (not commented) allowed, 30 minutes)
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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