Intellectual Property
“Intellectual property rights are one of the most valuable assets of a business and effective protection strategies are critical for maintaining value.”
In Australia intellectual property rights are protected by statute and common law. The trade mark, design and patent registration system is administered by IP Australia. Companies operating in the e-commerce environment will also have to register their domain name as a ‘com.au’ for Australian purposes.
Stephens Lawyers provides advice on all aspects of intellectual property matters including the development and implementation of programs for the protection of copyright, trade marks, patents, designs, confidential information and trade secrets. The firm can also assist with the registration of trade marks and domain names and the maintenance of registrations.
The firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice has extensive expertise in dealing with infringements or unauthorised use of intellectual property. The practice also deals with franchising disputes, such as:
• Non-compliance with the system
• Non payment of fees and profitability
• Territorial and marketing issues
• Misrepresentation and unconscionable conduct issues