General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW6181 and JDOC6181 |
| Course name: | Global Intellectual Property Transactions |
| Programme offered under: | LLM Programme / JD Programme |
| Semester: | Second |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Credit point value: | 9 credits / 6 credits |
| Remark | Students should have fundamental knowledge of IP concepts and legal issues and good understanding of contract law. |
1.2 Course description
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of legal and practical aspects of intellectual property (IP) transactions, situated within the rapidly evolving landscape of technology-driven global transactions. A key relevance to the course is Hong Kong’s strategic initiative to establish itself as a premier international Innovation and Technology (I&T) hub and a regional IP trading centre, as outlined in recent government policy blueprints.
Combining theoretical foundations with practical applications, the course delves into the diverse forms of IP trading—a broad concept encompassing not only the sale and assignment of IP but also its exploitation through licensing, cross-licensing and the use of IP as collateral for financing. Students will examine the legal frameworks governing these transactions both in Hong Kong and internationally, with a particular focus on the rising trend of technology-driven transactions incluing as part of either asset or equity sale in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), collaborations, research and development, licensing.
The curriculum covers the entire lifecycle of an IP transaction, from due diligence to drafting, and negotiation. Through case studies and practical exercises, students will develop the analytical and technical skills necessary to structure complex deals, manage IP-related risks in corporate transactions, and contribute to the growth of the IP ecosystem in Hong Kong and beyond.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Ling Ho | TBA | TBC | By email |
1.4 Course outline (for elective course)
| Please click the link here for the course outline (HKU Portal login required). |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Understand the strategic role of IP trading.
CLO 2 Be able to distinguish between and apply various forms of IP exploitation in different commercial contexts.
CLO 3 Grasp the legal and commercial nuances of IP-heavy M&A and asset transfers.
CLO 4 Be familiar with the process of IP due diligence and valuation in the context of technology-driven transactions.
CLO 5 Possess the skills to draft and negotiate key provisions in IP-related commercial agreements.
2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link:
LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/
JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| In class participation | 20% | 2,3,5 | |
| Group exercises | 80% | 2,3, 4,5 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s). See also Course Outline above.
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/