Welcome back to another week of Bells & Whistles.
As always, we’ve rounded up a mix of developments, opportunities, and thoughtful reads from across the IP world along with a Bell of the Week that’s well worth revisiting.
Bell of the Week: Médecins Sans Frontières
Some bells do not just chime, they insist.
This week’s bell is for Médecins Sans Frontières, an organisation that has long worked at the frontlines of healthcare, often in places where access is limited and urgency is constant.
In the early 2000s, at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, life-saving antiretroviral drugs existed, but remained out of reach for many because of their cost. What followed was not just a public health emergency, but a confrontation with the realities of the global patent system.
MSF became one of the most visible voices in pushing for access to affordable medicines, supporting the use of generic drugs, advocating for flexibility within international IP frameworks, and helping shift global attention to the gap between innovation and access.
It was a moment that forced a difficult question into the open: what does it mean to protect innovation if the outcomes remain inaccessible to those who need them most?
Perhaps that is what makes this bell linger. It reminds us that intellectual property does not operate in isolation. Its effects are felt in real, immediate ways, in who gets treated, who waits and who is left out.
Some bells do not just chime, they ask us to sit with the consequences of the systems we build.
EVENTS
1. Webinar: Precision Functional Claiming – SLW Chemistry and Biology Webinar Series | slw.Institute
14 April 2026 | 10:30 PM IST | Virtual (Zoom)
This session in the SLW Chemistry and Biology Webinar Series will feature Dr. Alexandra Cavazos (Senior Attorney) presenting on “Precision Functional Claiming: Strategic Use of 35 USC § 112(f) to Protect Biological and Chemical Inventions.” The talk will explore how functional claiming under U.S. patent law can be strategically used to safeguard innovations in the life sciences. The session will be moderated by Dr. Nicholas P. Lanzatella, offering insights into both doctrinal and practical aspects of patent drafting and protection in complex technological domains.
More info
2. Webinar: AI-Driven Innovation in Medical Technologies – Patent Monetization | slw.Institute
21 April 2026 | 10:30 PM IST | Virtual (Zoom)
This webinar will feature Kent Richardson of the Richardson Oliver Law Group (ROL Group), who will explore current trends in patent licensing, valuation, and monetization, with a particular focus on AI-driven technologies. The session will also examine how AI-based tools and analytics are increasingly being used to evaluate patent portfolios and assess patent-related risks, offering practical insights for professionals navigating innovation in the medical technology space.
More info
OPPORTUNITIES
SpicyIP Summer School 2026: Rethinking IP – Foundations, Faults, and Futures
20–28 June 2026 | Whitefield, Bengaluru | Residential Programme
The SpicyIP Summer School returns with a 9-day residential programme designed to cultivate critical pluralism in intellectual property law and policy, inspired by the legacy of Shamnad Basheer. Limited to 25 participants, the programme brings together scholars, practitioners, and students for intensive discussions and collaborative learning. This year’s theme, “Rethinking IP: Foundations, Faults, and Futures,” focuses on three interlinked terrains of engagement that shape every session, encouraging participants to critically examine the conceptual foundations, systemic shortcomings, and future directions of IP law and policy. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
More info
1. NLSIU Litigation Fellowships | National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru
Application Deadline: 15 April 2026 (5 PM IST) | Cohort Size: 30
The National Law School of India University invites applications for its Litigation Fellowships. The programme is aimed at early-career lawyers already engaged in litigation who demonstrate a commitment to advancing the rule of law and constitutional values. Fellows will receive structured exposure to litigation practice while working in a collaborative and mentorship-driven environment. Preference will be given to first-generation lawyers and candidates from marginalised groups, and women litigators are especially encouraged to apply.
More info
2. (Senior) Research Scholar – EU Law | Institute for Law & AI (LawAI)
Application Deadline: 17 April 2026
The Institute for Law & AI is hiring (Senior) Research Scholars in EU Law to conduct research at the intersection of law and artificial intelligence, with the aim of informing effective and beneficial AI policy. Researchers will engage with a wide range of issues across AI, law, and governance. The position offers a salary ranging from $100,000 to $175,000, depending on experience and location.
More info
3. Research Associate (1) – AI Governance Project | National Law University Jodhpur
Application Deadline: 25 April 2026 | 5:00 PM
National Law University Jodhpur invites applications for the position of Research Associate on a 4-month contractual basis for the project titled “Building Participatory AI Governance Frameworks in the Indian Context.” The project aims to design a context-sensitive and participatory governance framework for ethical AI adoption in Indian organisations. The position offers a consolidated remuneration of ₹50,000 per month and will involve working under Dr. Niranjan Rajpurohit (PI) and Dr. Kranti Kapoor (Co-PI).
More info
All non-sponsored listings featured here are events or opportunities free or nominally charged and ones we think our readers may be interested in. Sponsored listings will be marked as such. Unless specifically mentioned, SpicyIP has no affiliation to anything listed here. Know of an event worth sharing? Write to us at contact[at]spicyip[dot]com.