"The world has changed a lot since our last preface for Contemporary Intellectual Property. COVID-19, climate disasters, the cost of living crisis and personal loss have made everyone view things anew. To this must be added the reality of the UK leaving the European Union (Brexit), which remained a possibility, albeit a likely one, as the last edition went to production. The place of intellectual property remains complex - just as it can encourage and reward innovation and creativity, it can bring about too much private control of the results. This book aims to introduce IP law in an accessible manner while also setting out the wider (and evolving, challenging) context in which it sits. . This sixth edition remains broadly similar in structure to previous editions, and we are pleased to offer some additional historical perspectives (ranging from centuries to a few years) in the Online Resource Centre. We have removed the "Brexit boxes" of the fifth edition and have now engaged with Brexit and its consequences, including legislative, policy and case law, when the issue arises in the text. There continues to be coverage of relevant EU law. In the time since the fifth edition, IP law has continued to be a stimulating, enjoyable, and at times frustrating area in which to teach and research. We have updated the text to include developments up to 31 March 2022, and in some cases, we have been able to include developments after that"--