IP Blog

What do the ® and ™ symbols mean and when can I use them?

The ® symbol and the ™ symbol are frequently used by businesses on their goods, and in their marketing and promotional material. This article will...

What is misleading or deceptive conduct?

This article will explore the nature of misleading or deceptive conduct claims, what constitutes misleading or deceptive conduct, and provide tips to...

What is the difference between a patent and a registered design?

Patents and registered designs are both types of intellectual property that can be used to protect new product designs and inventions. This article...

What is a trade secret?

A trade secret is essentially information which is kept confidential, usually by implementing a careful combination of practical and legal safeguards...

What is cybersquatting and what can you do about it?

These days most businesses rely on the internet to promote and sell their goods and services. A good website and a strong online brand can be an...

What is a Trade Mark Watch Service?

A registered trade mark is a valuable asset for any business, but in order to get the maximum benefit from your registration it is important to...

What is an innovation patent and is it still available?

An innovation patent is a government granted right which gives the inventor (or owner of the invention) an exclusive right to commercialise their...

What is a confidentiality agreement and when do I need one?

A confidentiality agreement (sometimes also called a non-disclosure agreement or NDA) is a commercial contract, made between two or more parties,...

Should I register a word trade mark or a logo trade mark?

Trade marks can take many forms, including business or product names, logos, slogans, symbols, sounds, colours, distinctive product shapes or even...

How to tell if your trade mark is too similar to an existing trade mark

When selecting a new business name or product name, it is important to ensure that the name you’re wanting to use is available and not likely to...

What is the process for applying for a registered design?

A registered design protects the visual appearance of a product. This may be a combination of the product’s shape, colour, configuration, pattern or...

What are moral rights?

Moral rights provide authors and performers with personal and inalienable rights over their creations. This article will explore what moral rights...

Can I get a patent for my invention?

A patent can be a valuable asset for your business, however in order to qualify for patent protection an invention must meet various criteria. This...

What can I do if someone is infringing my intellectual property rights?

Your intellectual property is valuable. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for third parties to try and exploit that by using your intellectual...

What is a Trade Mark Notice of Intention to Oppose and How Do I Respond?

After your trade mark application has been examined and accepted by IP Australia (www.ipaustralia.com.au), there is a two month window during which...

How Long Does Copyright Protection Last For?

The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (Copyright Act) protects a wide range of materials including literary, dramatic, artistic and musical works, as well as...

What is a Registered Design?

A registered design is a form of intellectual property that protects the visual appearance of a product. Unlike a patent, which protects the...

Proposed Domain Name Licensing Changes

In order to register a .au domain name, there are a number of requirements that applicants must meet. Some of these rules are about to change.

Brazil joins the Madrid Protocol

Brazil is the latest country to join the Madrid Protocol – its accession came into force on 2 October 2019.

China Tackles Bad Faith Trade Marks

China currently operates a first-to-file trade mark system, meaning that the first person to file a trade mark application in China is considered the...

Innovation Patents to be Abolished

The innovation patent is a second-tier patent system which was introduced in Australia in 2001.

Impact of Brexit on Trade Mark Rights

With the uncertainties surrounding Brexit, you may be wondering what will happen to your EU trade mark if the UK does leave the European Union.

Canada Joins the Madrid Protocol

The Madrid Protocol is the international convention for registering trade marks across multiple jurisdictions with a single application.

World Trademark Review 2019

Colin Cheung, Principal and Lawyer at Actuate IP, was recently recognised in the individual rankings for Australia of the 2019 edition of “World...

Flagrant trade mark infringers to pay additional damages

Blatant trade mark infringers beware!

5 reasons why Fixed Fee IP Services is better for your business.

As you may know, we’ve dropped time based billing. So no more billing in 6 minute increments. Why?

The 5 step guide to stopping a competitor infringing your IP (before going to Court!)

So you’ve come across a competitor copying your brand, design or product. We’ll call them the IP Infringer. Filing legal proceedings in court against...

Changes to the Australian customs seizures process

Beneficial changes for trade-mark owners to the Australian customers seizures process

The 5 step guide to taking your competitor to court for infringing your IP

It’s a big step starting legal proceedings against your competitor (we will call them the IP Infringer). Before reaching this stage, you should have...

Recent Articles

What do the ® and ™ symbols mean and when can I use them? What is misleading or deceptive conduct? What is the difference between a patent and a registered design? What is a trade secret? What is cybersquatting and what can you do about it?