Dr Karen Walsh

    Law

    Assistant Professor

    Riverstown House
    1st Floor
    13A

    Biography

    Dr Karen Walsh is an Assistant Professor in Law at the School of Law and Criminology.

    Karen specialises in intellectual property law, particularly European patent law. Her current research focuses on attempts to harmonise the European patent system, on judicial dialogue and cooperation, and the public interest in patent law. Her monograph entitled ‘Fragmentation and the European Patent System’ was recently published by Hart Publishing.
     
    Prior to joining the School, Karen was a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter where she taught multiple modules covering all areas of intellectual property law and tort law. She was PI on a project relating to judicial dialogue and cooperation in the European patent system funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. She has also held teaching and tutoring positions at the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford.
     
    She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, an LLM (Intellectual Property Law) from Queen Mary, University of London, and an LLB and Bachelor of Corporate Law from the University of Galway.
     
    Karen teaches on intellectual property law modules. She welcomes potential research students, collaborations, and media enquiries pertaining to any of her research areas.

    Research Interests

    Karen specialises in intellectual property law, particularly European patent law. Her current research focuses on attempts to harmonise the European patent system, on judicial dialogue and cooperation, and the public interest in patent law. Karen was PI on a project relating to judicial dialogue and cooperation in the European patent system funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust.

    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    Judging Patents: Transforming Decision-Making in European Patent Law PI 19/05/2023 18/05/2025 15986
    Judicial cooperation in the European patent system – An empirical study Principal Investigator 01/04/2019 30/09/2022 10000
    Society of Legal Scholars, Small Projects and Events Fund Co-Investigator Funding for the development of Open Educational Resources for the Patent Scholars Network 01/05/2019 01/05/2020 1600

    Book

    Year Publication
    2022 Karen Walsh (2022) Fragmentation and the European Patent System. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2023 Karen Walsh (2023) 'Institutional Coexistence: The Necessity of Judicial Dialogue and Cooperation in the UPC' In: European Patent Law: The Unified Patent Court and the European Patent Convention. Berlin : de Gruyter.
    2022 Karen Walsh (2022) 'Invoking the public interest in the European patent system' In: Patenting Biotechnical Innovation: Eligibility, Ethics and Public Interest. Cheltenham : Edward Elgar.
    2020 Karen Walsh and Naomi Hawkins (2020) 'Expanding the Role of Morality and Public Policy in European Patent Law' In: Intellectual Property Law and Human Rights. The Netherlands : Wolters Kluwer.

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2021 Karen Walsh, Andrea Wallace, Mathilde Pavis, Natalie Olszowy, James Griffin and Naomi Hawkins (2021) 'Intellectual Property Rights and Access in Crisis'. IIC International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, 52 (4).
    2019 Karen Walsh (2019) 'Promoting Harmonisation across the European Patent System through Judicial Dialogue and Cooperation'. IIC International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, 50 (4).
    2019 Karen Walsh (2019) 'The Unitary Patent Package, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and Brexit: (Ir)reconcilable?'. Intellectual Property Quarterly, 2 .

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2024 Karen Walsh (2024) Patents in Humans Workshop Exploring the Impact of Institutional Abundance on Ethical Decision-Making in the European Patent System Maynooth University, .
    2024 Karen Walsh (2024) BILETA Re-thinking the Regulation of Technological Development: Patents and Green Technology Dublin City University, Ireland, .
    2023 Karen Walsh (2023) Conference on the 25th Anniversary of the Biotechnology Directive 98/44/EC Co-ordinating the EPC, the UPC and the EU Biotech Directive - Unresolved Issues? Maynooth University, .
    2023 Karen Walsh (2023) The Future of the Global IP System Promoting the Public Interest in Patent Law The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, .
    2023 Karen Walsh (2023) Planting Seeds for the Future of Intellectual Property Law Patents and the Public Interest University of Sheffield, UK, .
    2022 Karen Walsh (2022) Linking Patent Systems Across Europe Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) King's College London, UK, .
    2022 Karen Walsh (2022) Judicial Dialogue and the European Patent System Intellectual Property Scholars Conference (IPSC) Stanford University, .
    2022 Karen Walsh (2022) Judicial Dialogue and the European Patent System Patent Scholars Network Symposium Maynooth University, .
    2021 Karen Walsh (2021) EPIP Judicial Dialogue in the European Patent System Online/Madrid, Spain, .
    2020 Karen Walsh (2020) Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) Judicial cooperation in the European patent System: An empirical study University of Exeter, UK, .
    2020 Karen Walsh (2020) Guest Lecture Institutional Interactions in the European Patent System Maynooth University, .
    2020 Karen Walsh (2020) PGR to ECR Workshop PGR to ECR - What to expect University of Exeter, UK, .
    2019 Karen Walsh (2019) Patent Scholars Network Workshop Judicial cooperation in the European patent System: An empirical study University of Exeter, UK, .
    2019 Karen Walsh (2019) ATRIP Broccoli, Tomatoes and Peppers: Palatable and Patentable? Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA, .
    2019 Karen Walsh (2019) Works in Progress Seminar Judicial cooperation in the European patent System: An empirical study University of Exeter, UK, .
    2019 Karen Walsh; Naomi Hawkins (2019) Patent Scholars Network Workshop Window Dressing? Morality Provisions in European Patent Law Maynooth University, .
    2018 Karen Walsh (2018) Intellectual Property Law in Transition The proposed European unitary patent system - the next chapter in the harmonisation of European patent law? University of Exeter, UK, .
    2018 Karen Walsh (2018) Works in Progress Seminar Equivalent Equivalents? An investigation into patent claim construction in Europe University of Exeter, UK, .
    2017 Karen Walsh (2017) Works in Progress Seminar The Unitary Patent Package – What if… University of Exeter, UK, .
    2017 Karen Walsh (2017) Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) Fragmentation and the European Patent System University College Dublin, Ireland, .
    2017 Karen Walsh (2017) Intellectual Property Law Discussion Group The Unitary Patent: A Never-Ending Story? University of Oxford, UK, .
    2016 Karen Walsh (2016) Seminar Fragmentation in the European Patent System CIPA, London, UK, .
    2016 Karen Walsh (2016) Legal Research Service of the Boards of Appeal Fragmentation in the European Patent System European Patent Office, Munich, Germany, .
    2015 Karen Walsh (2015) Institute of Corporate and Commercial Law The European Patent with Unitary Effect – Integration’s Friend or Foe? University of Sheffield, UK, .
    2015 Karen Walsh (2015) Law Conference The EU Record in Intellectual Property Law University of Copenhagen, Denmark, .
    2014 Karen Walsh (2014) European Law and Policy Conference European Integration and the attempts to implement a Unitary Patent System: Are we about to repeat the mistakes of the past? University of Birmingham, UK, .
    2014 Karen Walsh (2014) International Law Society The EU Record in Patent Law University of Dundee, UK, .
    2014 Karen Walsh (2014) Legal Research Conference The Arguments and Motivations of a European Patent System Queen Mary, University of London, UK, .
    2014 Karen Walsh (2014) Legal Research Conference Fragmentation as a consequence of Integration Queen Mary, University of London, UK, .

    Book Review

    Year Publication
    2020 Karen Walsh (2020) Book Review: Intellectual Property and the Judiciary. [Book Review]
    2018 Karen Walsh (2018) Book Review: Research Handbook on Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade. [Book Review]
    2014 Karen Walsh (2014) Book Review: Intellectual Property, Pharmaceuticals and Public Health: Access to Drugs in Developing Countries. [Book Review]

    Editorial

    Year Publication
    2022 Karen Walsh, Aisling McMahon and Naomi Hawkins (2022) Patents in a changing Europe. [Editorial]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    Patent Scholars Network Co-Founder and Member 01/09/2019 -
    Irish Association of Law Teachers (IALT) Member 01/10/2022 -
    International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property (ATRIP) Member 01/09/2017 -
    Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) Member 01/01/2016 -
    European Policy for Intellectual Property Association (EPIP) Member 01/09/2016 -
    Intellectual Property Law Discussion Group Convenor 01/06/2013 - 30/06/2015

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    08/08/2022 Above and Beyond Silver Award University of Exeter
    05/05/2020 Social Sciences Online Methods Training Fund University of Exeter
    20/05/2019 SLS Small Project and Events Fund The Society of Legal Scholars (SLS)
    13/05/2019 Nomination for Best Personal Tutor University of Exeter
    08/08/2017 Above and Beyond Gold Award University of Exeter
    01/09/2014 Senior Scholarship Lincoln College, University of Oxford
    01/09/2014 Graduate Travel Grant Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
    01/09/2013 Graduate Research Fund Lincoln College, University of Oxford
    01/09/2011 European Intellectual Property Institute Network (EIPIN) Diplome d’honneur European Intellectual Property Institute Network (EIPIN)

    Employment

    Employer Position From / To
    University of Exeter Lecturer/Senior Lecturer 04/01/2016 - 23/09/2022
    London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) Fixed-Term Lecturer 01/01/2016 - 31/07/2016
    European Patent Office Stagiaire 01/04/2016 - 31/07/2016
    University of Notre Dame (London) Guest Lecturer 01/01/2014 - 31/05/2015
    University of Oxford Tutor and Research Assistant 01/07/2013 - 31/07/2016

    Education

    Start date Institution Qualification Subject
    University of Oxford D.Phil Fragmentation and the European Patent System
    Queen Mary, University of London LLM Intellectual Property Law
    University of Galway LLB Law
    University of Galway Bachelor of Corporate Law Law and Business
    University of Exeter Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice Education

    Languages

    Language Reading Writing Speaking
    English Fluent Fluent Fluent
    Irish Fluent Fluent Fluent

    Editorial / Academic Reviews

    Amount Role From / To
    Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice (JIPLP) Reviewer -
    Queen Mary Journal of Intellectual Property (QMJIP) Reviewer -
    European Journal of Law and Technology (EJLT) Reviewer -