What is the Intellectual Property Journal?
The Intellectual Property Journal is a leading peer-reviewed academic law journal dedicated to the study of intellectual property law and related legal, policy, and interdisciplinary issues. Established in 1984, the journal has a long-standing reputation for publishing high-quality scholarly research with international relevance.

What is the scope of the journal?
The journal publishes original research, doctrinal analysis, comparative studies, and policy-oriented scholarship on all aspects of intellectual property law. This includes, but is not limited to, copyright, patents, trademarks, industrial designs, trade secrets, technology law, digital rights, innovation policy, competition law interfaces, and international and comparative intellectual property regimes.

Does the journal accept international submissions?
Yes. The journal welcomes submissions from scholars, practitioners, and researchers worldwide. Comparative and international perspectives are strongly encouraged, provided the work demonstrates analytical rigor and relevance to intellectual property law.

Who publishes the journal?
The journal is published by HAB Press Limited, a Canadian professional and academic publisher based in Toronto, Canada. 

Has the publisher changed over time?
Yes. Since its founding in 1984, the journal has been published under several major legal publishing houses due to industry-wide mergers and restructuring. Until 2019, it was published under the Carswell imprint of Thomson Reuters. In 2019, the journal transitioned to HAB Press Limited, ensuring continuity of publication, ISSN registration, and editorial standards.

Does the journal maintain continuity despite publisher changes?
Yes. The journal has maintained uninterrupted publication history, consistent academic scope, and editorial independence throughout publisher transitions. All volumes remain part of the same continuous scholarly record.

Is the journal indexed?
The Intellectual Property Journal is widely recognized and indexed in leading academic and legal research databases and is listed under the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) Journal Quality List as an A-category journal, reflecting its high scholarly impact and rigorous editorial standards.

What Field of Research (FoR) classification does the journal follow?
The journal is classified under FoR 4801 (Law), with a primary focus on intellectual property law and closely related legal disciplines.

Does the journal meet international academic standards?
Yes. The journal adheres to internationally recognized standards of peer review, publication ethics, editorial independence, and research integrity, consistent with leading law journals worldwide.

Who makes editorial decisions?
Editorial decisions are made independently by the journal’s editorial leadership, based on reviewer recommendations and scholarly merit. The publisher does not influence editorial outcomes.

Does the journal ensure editorial independence?
Yes. The journal upholds strict editorial independence. All decisions regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection are based solely on academic quality, originality, and relevance.

What is double-blind peer review?
Double-blind peer review ensures that both the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other throughout the review process. This methodology eliminates potential bias based on author reputation, institutional affiliation, or personal relationships, ensuring manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scholarly merit and methodological rigor.

How are reviewers selected?
Reviewers are carefully selected based on their expertise in the specific subject matter of the manuscript, their track record of scholarly publications, and their experience in peer review. We maintain a diverse pool of international experts and ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the authors or the research being reviewed. Each manuscript is typically reviewed by 2-3 independent experts.

What is the review timeline?
The standard peer review timeline is 8-12 weeks from submission to initial decision. This includes assignment to reviewers (1-2 weeks), reviewer evaluation (6-8 weeks), and editorial decision (1-2 weeks). We recognize the importance of timely publication and work diligently to expedite the process while maintaining rigorous standards. Authors are notified of any delays and can inquire about status at any time.

What happens during revision?
When revisions are requested, authors receive detailed feedback from reviewers and editors outlining required changes. Authors typically have 2-4 weeks to submit revisions, though extensions may be granted upon request. The revised manuscript must include a point-by-point response to reviewer comments and clearly indicate all changes made. Revised manuscripts undergo re-review to ensure all concerns have been addressed.

Can decisions be appealed?
Authors may appeal rejection decisions if they believe the review process was flawed or if reviewer comments contain factual errors. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the decision, clearly outlining the grounds for appeal with supporting evidence. The Editor-in-Chief reviews all appeals and may consult with additional experts. The appeal decision is final and typically provided within 2-3 weeks.

What are the possible review outcomes?
Manuscripts receive one of four decisions: (1) Accept - ready for publication with minor editorial changes; (2) Minor Revisions - requires small changes before acceptance; (3) Major Revisions - substantial changes needed, re-review required; (4) Reject - does not meet publication standards or scope. Each decision includes detailed feedback to help authors improve their work, even in cases of rejection.

Is the journal open access?
The journal operates under flexible access models, including open access and subscription-based publication, depending on editorial and publishing arrangements. Licensing terms are clearly communicated to authors upon acceptance.

Who retains copyright?
Authors typically retain copyright to their work, subject to the journal’s licensing agreement. Authors are permitted to share their work in institutional repositories and use it for academic and teaching purposes, in accordance with the applicable license.

Are past issues archived?
Yes. All past issues form part of the journal’s permanent scholarly archive. Earlier volumes may be available in print or archival formats, even where full digital access is limited.

Does the journal use plagiarism detection tools?
Yes. All submissions undergo plagiarism screening using industry-standard tools as part of the editorial assessment process.

How does the journal handle ethical misconduct?
Cases of plagiarism, data falsification, unethical research practices, or serious errors are addressed in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics and retraction policies to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

How can authors or readers contact the journal?
All editorial, submission, and general inquiries may be directed through the official contact channels listed on the journal website. Publisher-related permissions and reuse requests are handled through HAB Press Limited.