Intellectual Property

Protect, manage, commercialise and enforce your IP with Australia’s leading team. We deliver decisive, commercially focused legal solutions trusted by market leaders.

How we can help

We have one of the largest IP teams in Australia, with a standalone IP practice which further sets us apart. This unparalleled expertise helps our Australian and international clients in the consumer electronics, entertainment, software, FMCG, mining and financial services sectors stay ahead.

We can help with IP enforcement, brand protection, commercialisation and managing complex IP litigation, significant brand portfolios and strategic licensing agreements. We advise on regulatory issues, copyright, software, trade secrets, R&D and collaboration arrangements.

Our experience leading landmark IP cases in Australia, strategic advice, innovative approaches and robust representation ensure our client’s commercial objectives are met with accuracy and efficiency.

Services

By protecting and managing your intellectual property, your assets will be legally secure and commercially viable.

Confidential information and trade secrets

We advise on protecting your confidential information and trade secrets to maintain a competitive advantage.

Copyright

We advise on safeguarding your creative works with expert copyright protection, preventing unauthorised use and infringement.

Defamation and reputation management

We advise on protecting your reputation with expert defamation defence and proactive media and reputation management to safeguard your public image.

Designs

We advise on comprehensive protection for your design innovations, legally securing your unique creations.

Domain names

We advise on managing and protecting your domain names, to prevent cybersquatting and secure your online presence.

IP litigation and enforcement

We advise on aggressive litigation and enforcement services to defend your IP rights and resolve disputes effectively.

Patents

We advise on securing and protecting your patents, to protect your inventions from unauthorised use.

Trade marks and portfolio management

We advise on managing your trade mark portfolio to ensure robust protection and maintain your brand's integrity.

Intellectual Property experience

21 Pty Ltd (RAMA Works)

In Federal Circuit Court against Ms Kate Hou and Hibi Design for alleged IP theft, breaches of employment and fiduciary duties, Corporations Act violations and asset retention.

CPC Patent Technologies

In a significant case against Apple for infringing a biometric patent in Australian iPhones and iPads.

Jewellery, watch and fashion houses

On market investigations and enforcement strategies against high-quality lookalikes of their iconic products in Australia.

Stoneworld

In Federal Court copyright proceedings against competitor Orientile, concerning major Australian tile retail operations.

BCI Media

In a major copyright and data scraping dispute against Corelogic.

Self Care IP Holdings

In the largest case of counterfeiting Australian cosmetics, involving sales in Australia and China.

Phonographic Performance Australia

In Tribunal proceedings to implement a new broadcast licence scheme and rate for sound recordings on commercial radio.

PIUS Limited, LLC

On securing $60 million for Carbon Revolution, leveraging its IP assets including patents and trade marks to support growth in carbon fibre wheel manufacturing.

Civica

On legal risks and disputes over IT contracts with Western Australian Department of Education and DLA Group, and representation in related Copyright Tribunal proceedings.

Major copyright cases

Roadshow Films v iiNet to the High Court, Cooper v Universal Music to the Full Federal Court and IceTV v Nine Network at the High Court.

Stoneworld

In Federal Court copyright proceedings against competitor Orientile.

RAMA Works

In Federal Circuit and Family Court against Ms Kate Hou and Hibi Design Pty Ltd, involving copyright infringement, breach of confidence and breach of fiduciary duties.

Tolga Kumova

In Federal Court defamation proceedings against anonymous social media account ‘@stockswami’, which was featured in the AFR.

SG Fleet

In a defamation case brought by an unsuccessful interviewee via an unusual preliminary discovery application.

A media industry body

Providing ad hoc defamation advice including its response as part of PR management.

A well-known activist

In potentially highly damaging allegation of defamation.

Healius

In relation to IP, brand protection, marketing and defamation issues.

Publisher and defendants

Acting in complex defamation disputes.

Self Care

On major anti-counterfeiting actions concerning counterfeit Revitaleyes products in Australia and China. This is Australia's largest anti-counterfeiting case.

Starbucks

Managing their global trade marks, providing strategic advice on multi-jurisdictional oppositions, brand clearance, and filing strategies, plus IP guidance for CCEP’s major M&A activities.

A global asset manager

Against Maurice Blackburn over SSGA’s Fearless Girl replica.

Sydney Local Health District

Against Maurice Blackburn over SSGA’s Fearless Girl replica.

Sydney Local Health District

On its strategic commercial agreement with Cobalt Health for the design, licence, manufacture and supply of dialysis chairs.

Edgewell

In Federal Court proceedings against Procter & Gamble’s injunction on Schick Hydro razor ads, leading to a settlement.

Various clients

In a broad range of industries, including FMCG, industrial products and therapeutic goods, about product packaging and labelling issues.

Google

In enforcing its rights online against brand appropriators and trade dress misuse in SEO services, recovering associated trading and domain names.

Melbourne IT

On the agreement to dispose of and Tucows.com Co. agreement to buy Melbourne IT's International Domain Name Registration Business.

Ferrovial SA

On the recovery and registrability of dot.au domain names under the new licensing rules.

Google

On the recovery and registrability of dot.au domain names under the new licensing rules.

Numerous clients

Including HBO, Citadel, and Ferrovial SA, on domain name issues, focusing on the recovery and registrability of .au domain names under new licensing rules.

Red Bull

On the enforcement of trade mark rights, trade mark oppositions, handling domain name disputes and advising on its Australian anti-counterfeiting program.

Aristocrat Technologies

On global trade secret litigation that expanded to the USA.

Alhambra for Arpels, Jeep and others

On registering non-standard marks to boost enforcement actions.

Crescent Capital Partners

In Federal Court proceedings for trade mark infringement and deceptive conduct after an appeal against a Trade Marks Officer’s decision.

Health Administration Corporation

In a dispute against medical equipment supplier, Medical Device Technologies.

HealthShare NSW

In their dispute with Alphacare over $28.5 million allegedly defective PPE masks supplied for Australia’s COVID-19 response.

CPC Patent Technologies

In a high-profile case against Apple alleging patent infringements of biometric tech in Australian iPhones and iPads.

REC Solar

In patent infringement proceedings over high-value solar cell technology in a fiercely contested case.

CPC Patent Technologies

In high-profile Federal Court proceedings against Apple over alleged patent infringement concerning biometric technology in iPhones, iPads and MacBooks.

Imdex

In its decade-long patent enforcement, with four Federal Court cases. Imdex succeeded in upholding its digital core sample orientation patent.

Polaris IP

Taking over the conduct of its appeal against TCT Group and others following the invalidation of its patents.

Calidad Pty Ltd

In securing a stay of injunctions from the Full Court while applying for special leave to the High Court in a major patent case against Seiko Epson.

UNSW

On its strategic involvement with Diraq Pty Ltd and Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd, supporting the commercialisation of its world-leading, patent-protected quantum computing technology.

Lavazza

Successfully defended trade mark infringement proceedings in the Federal Court brought by Cantarella Bros Pty Ltd, the purveyors of Vittoria coffee.

Self Care

In a High Court appeal against Federal Court findings of trade mark infringement and Australian Consumer Law breach in a case by Botox manufacturer, Allergan.

Various clients

Ongoing advisory work including brand clearance and protection of marks to portfolio clients including LEAP, Starbucks, iNova, Self Care, and Lotteries Corporation.

CBL Markets / Xpansiv

On its carbon trading index, North Harbour Clean Energy, a major tech company, and New Energy Group Pty Ltd on their renewable trade marks in the tech space.

Various clients

Starbucks, Shopify, Dansons, Nelsons, Emma Mulholland, Cirrus Media, Clipsal Solar, Servcorp, Beforepay, Musclechef, Cabac, and Taronga Zoo in numerous contested actions before IP Australia.

Various clients

Managing trade marks for tech firms, an Australian airline, Shopify, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Warner Media, NRMA and others. Also supporting Fred Hollows and various pro bono clients across sectors.

Awards