# Stephens Lawyers \& Consultants: Melbourne Intellectual Property \| Trade Marks \| Patents \| Copyright

> Stephens Lawyers \& Consultants is a specialist boutique commercial law and business consultancy practice\. Contact us today

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## Pages
- [Newsletters](https://stephens.com.au/newsletters/)
- [Careers](https://stephens.com.au/careers/)
- [Biotechnology \& Pharmaceutical Law](https://stephens.com.au/biotechnology-pharmaceutical-law/)
- [Intellectual Property](https://stephens.com.au/intellectual-property/)
- [Litigation \& Dispute Resolution](https://stephens.com.au/litigation-dispute-resolution/)

## Posts
- [TGA Compliance Principles 2026\-2027 – What is the TGA’s current focus?](https://stephens.com.au/tga-compliance-principles-2026-2027-what-is-the-tgas-current-focus/): The TGA's principles provide guidance in relation to its compliance activities and priority focus areas for the next two years\. Businesses operating in these areas should undertake internal compliance reviews to ensure that they are compliant with the Therapeutic Goods Act and regulations including the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code\. 
- [Directors’ and Officers' liability for breaches of the Australian Therapeutic Goods Act – Update](https://stephens.com.au/directors-and-officers-liability-for-breaches-of-the-australian-therapeutic-goods-act-update/): Non\-compliance with the Therapeutic Goods Act or the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code can result in infringement notices and court proceedings being issued by the regulator against the company and its directors and officers\.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse\.  We review some recent court decisions which highlight key matters for company directors to consider in order to minimize the risk of personal civil liability for breach of the TG Act and related criminal prosecution\.
- [Why are non\-compete/restraint clauses required in employment contracts?](https://stephens.com.au/why-are-non-compete-restraint-clauses-required-in-employment-contracts/): On 25 March 2025, the Australian Government announced a proposal to ban non\-compete clauses for employees earning less than the high\-income threshold\. The Government has consulted on the reform to non\-compete clauses and on potential additional reforms to other restraints on workers\. In this article, Stephens Lawyers and Consultants discusses a recent case which demonstrates why non\-compete clauses should be maintained in employment contracts\.  
- [Confidential Information and Trade Secrets \- How are they protected in Australia?](https://stephens.com.au/confidential-information-and-trade-secrets-how-are-they-protected-in-australia/): Confidential information/trade secrets are valuable intellectual property assets of many businesses and organisations\.  R \& D organisations may lose their rights to seek patent protection of resulting inventions where publication or disclosure of the invention occurs prior to patent filing\. This article provides an overview of the legal framework for the protection of confidential information/trade secrets in Australia and provides guidance on strategies for their protection\.
- [Data Breach, Cyber Security and Privacy Law Update \- Sept 2025](https://stephens.com.au/data-breach-cybersecurity-and-privacy-law-update-september-2025/): From 30 May 2025 all businesses that have an annual turnover of $3 million in a financial year, must report a ransomware or cyber extortion within 72 hours of making or having a payment made on its behalf\. This is in addition to existing reporting obligations under the Notifiable Data Breach scheme\. This article explores these reporting obligations and offers guidance on some strategies to consider for data protection and privacy law compliance\.

## Categories
- [Intellectual Property Protection](https://stephens.com.au/category/intellectual-property-protection/)
- [Competition Law](https://stephens.com.au/category/competition-law/)
- [Defamation Law](https://stephens.com.au/category/defamation-law/)
- [Litigation](https://stephens.com.au/category/litigation/)
- [e\-Commerce](https://stephens.com.au/category/e-commerce/)

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- [Privacy](https://stephens.com.au/tag/privacy/)
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- [Privacy Compensation](https://stephens.com.au/tag/privacy-compensation/)
- [Privacy Damages](https://stephens.com.au/tag/privacy-damages/)

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