Staff profile

Dr Van Anh Le rejoined Durham Law School in 2023 as an Assistant Professor of IP Law after spending one year there in 2018-2019. Her distinguished academic career was built on a rich tapestry of experiences at different Russell Group universities. Before her role at Durham, she was a Departmental Lecturer at Oxford (2021–2023), overseeing the OIPRC Invited Speaker Series. She also worked for Warwick University (2019-2021), where she was nominated for a Teaching Excellence Award.

Van Anh read for her LLB at Ho Chi Minh City University of Law (Vietnam) and completed her LLM and PhD at Bangor University (UK). During her doctoral studies, she received a research scholarship at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Munich in 2016 and 2017. In 2013, Van Anh was honoured with the Eric Sunderland IP Law Travel Scholarship by the Welsh Livery Company.

Her research has delved into the challenges faced by developing countries regarding intellectual property (IP) rights and access to essential medicines. She examined the use of compulsory patent licensing in India, Brazil, and Thailand and highlighted the difficulties these nations face due to their limited manufacturing capacity. Similarly, her investigation into the use of patents for second medical purposes in Vietnam revealed how developing countries often struggle to meet international standards, resorting to ambiguous language while practical implementation remains elusive

These contributions have not only been recognised internationally but have also yielded some influences. She had the privilege of serving as an external validator for The Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) report in 2022, focusing on 'Compulsory Licensing for Expensive Medicines' to assess the scientific validity of the report. Additionally, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) selected her co-authored article Are IPRs and Patents the Real Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccine Supplies? for its 'Review of Existing Research on Patents and Access to Medical Products and Health Technologies,' for the period 2019-2021.

Beyond her academic endeavours, Van Anh has written for Managing IP, a prominent platform for IP practitioners.

She currently focuses on public policy in Southeast Asia, leveraging her expertise in IP Law. Her recent publications explored the legal transplant of Geographical Indications in Vietnam and the influence of the Soviet Legacy on the country’s IP system. Her goal is to elevate local viewpoints in global conversations on IP, aiming to reconcile international standards with regional requirements. Additionally, she is passionate about mentoring PhD students in patents, copyrights, IP public policies, and the historical evolution of IP law.

Research outputs

View Van Anh's research outputs

Authored book

• Le, V. A. (2022). Compulsory Patent Licensing and Access to Medicines: A Silver Bullet Approach to Public Health?. (1). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84193-5

Book review

• Le, V. A., & Vu, T. C. (2023). Intellectual Property and Development: Geographical Indications in Practice by PICK Barbara. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2022. xxiv + 240 pp. Hardcover: AUD$242.00/£115.00; eBook: AUD$70.99 doi: 10.4324/9781003352105. Asian Journal of International Law, https://doi.org/10.1017/S2044251323000528

Chapter in book

• Le, V. A. (2021). Thailand: Shooting Star for Access to Medicines Through Compulsory Licensing. In S. Ragavan, & A. Vanni (Eds.), . London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003176602-16

Journal Article

• Nguyen, S. L., & Le, V. A. (2023). Diffusion of Geographical Indication Law in Vietnam: “Journey To The West”. International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, 54(2), 176-199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40319-023-01289-9
• Le, V. A. (2023). Soviet Legacy of Vietnam's Intellectual Property Law: Big Brother is (No Longer) Watching You. Asian Journal of Comparative Law, https://doi.org/10.1017/asjcl.2023.31
• Le, V. A. (2022). Second Medical Use Patents and Compensation for the Delay in Marketing Authorisations: The Curious Case of Vietnam. GRUR International, 71(11), 1048-1055. https://doi.org/10.1093/grurint/ikac095
• Le, V. A., & Samson, L. (2021). Are IPRs and patents the real barriers to COVID-19 vaccine supplies?. Manchester journal of international economic law, 18(2), 192-204
• Le, V. A., & Hyland, M. (2020). Compulsory Licensing for Patented Medicines: A Comparative Legal Analysis of India, Brazil and Thailand. Manchester journal of international economic law, 17(3), 252-273
• Le, V. A., & Hyland, M. (2017). Right of communication to the public: Stichting Brein v Ziggo BV and XS4All Internet BV, Court of Justice of the European Union, 14 June 2017. Communication Law, 22(4), 132-133