In January 2019, IP Australia released a draft of proposed amendments to the Trade Marks Regulations 1995 for public consultation.
Australia Trademarks
Australian Trademarks Law Review – Edition 2
2018 marked the publication of the first Australian Trademarks Law Review from the Law Review series. The Law Review collates cross-border legal insights and analysis across a range of practice areas and is a useful resource for in-house counsel of…
Amended Australian IP laws receive Royal Assent with little fanfare


On 24 August 2018, the creatively named Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other Measures) Bill 2018 quietly received Royal Assent, with some parts of the new Act entering into force the following day.
As the…
V Energy loses a mother of a battle over color trademark: Australia court’s decision in Frucor v Coca-Cola
We, as consumers, regularly associate colours with our favourite brands as we stroll down supermarket aisles and peer at billboards and banners in shopping centres. But for brand holders, gaining protection for proprietary colours is not a walk in the…
Changes proposed regarding parallel imports – An exhausting concept for Australian trade mark owners?
In this article, we consider;
- the changes to the Trade Marks Act proposed in respect of parallel imports which the Draft Explanatory Memorandum states are aimed at ensuring that the law “better meet[s] the objective of facilitating the parallel
…
Back to Basics – Australian Trade Mark Law 101
2018 marks the publication of the first Trademarks Law Review from the Law Review series.
IP funding opportunities to take your start-up to the next level


As all start-ups know, having a great idea is important, but it’s not enough to ensure your idea gets off the ground – and stays there! The sad reality is that the vast majority of start-ups are destined for failure:…
Promoting an innovation economy – Australian Government responds to Productivity Commission’s report into IP arrangements


We recently published an article on the potential impact on the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry Report on Intellectual Property Arrangements (Report) on Australia’s innovation economy. The Australian Government has now responded to the Report, supporting the Commission’s recommendations…
Accept no substitutes – Assignment will not cure defective trade mark filing

The Full Court of the Federal Court has issued a significant decision in relation to trade mark ownership, which reconfirms the position in relation to the assignment of trade mark applications which have been filed in incorrect applicant names. The…
What’s in a name? How to protect yourself if your name is your personal brand


Cher, Prince, Oprah, Bono – all of these celebrities have one thing in common – the capacity to be recognised by nothing more than a single name. For businesses which are built on the success of a personal brand, a…