Dr Che Ekaratne
Areas of interest
Areas of research interest include:
- Intellectual property law, especially copyright law
- Entertainment law
- Publicity rights and other protections of image and identity
Teaching
- Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property Law (LLM, module convenor)
- Intellectual Property Law (LLB)
- English Legal System and Skills (LLB)
- Tort (LLB)
Background
Dr S. Che Ekaratne’s research focuses on intellectual property law, especially copyright law, and its intersection with other aspects of private law. She has a particular interest in intellectual property and entertainment law relevant to books, films and visual images. Che has published research on topics such as copyright, trade marks, passing off, publicity rights and the inheritability of intangible property. Her work has been published in the European Intellectual Property Review, the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice and the Media & Arts Law Review. Her research is cited in court judgments and in leading scholarly commentary. She has also been invited to consult with a national law commission on statutory reforms.
Much of Che’s research involves comparative analyses of legal issues across multiple jurisdictions. She has experience researching and teaching laws of several jurisdictions including England & Wales, the United States and New Zealand. Her academic credentials include a B.A. summa cum laude from Yale University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an LL.M. in Commercial Law from the University of Bristol and a PhD from the University of Canterbury. She also studied law at the University of Oxford during her Yale undergraduate degree.
Che values research-informed teaching that enhances student learning and supervision. At the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, she teaches intellectual property and other private law topics at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She has also taught law at the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington. Before entering academia, Che was an attorney at a U.S. law firm, where her work included submissions to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Academic qualifications
- BA, summa cum laude, Yale University
- JD, Harvard Law School
- LLM, with Distinction, University of Bristol
- PhD, University of Canterbury
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Attorney, New York Bar
Selected publications
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Manipulated images: a taxonomy’ (2020) 42(6) European Intellectual Property Review 353
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Defamation by Photo-Manipulation under New Zealand Law’ in András Koltay and Paul Wragg (eds), Research Handbook on Comparative Privacy & Defamation (Edward Elgar 2020)
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘U.S. Court of Appeals clarifies standard for trademark genericide and affirms that GOOGLE trademark is not generic’ (2017) 12(9) Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice 730
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Head-Swapped Photographs & Copyright: A New Zealand Perspective’ (2017) 23 Canterbury Law Review 39
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Validation under s 14 of the Wills Act: past, present and future’ (2017) 9(2) New Zealand Family Law Journal 23
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Stealing surveillance: Prosecuting misuses of non-covert CCTV in New Zealand’ (2016) 21(3) Media and Arts Law Review 294
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘Hendrix: Post-Mortem Publicity Rights Across Borders’ (2014) 19(2) Media and Arts Law Review 221
- S. Che Ekaratne, ‘L’Oréal Reformed: What “Free-Riding” Might Look Like with a Harm Requirement’ (2011) 1 Bristol Law Journal 46