United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Increases to Trademark Fees and Changes starting 18 January 2025

From 18 January 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) will adjust its fees, with its rationale being that these increases are necessary to provide themselves with the necessary resources to administer the US trademark system. As such, new surcharges/fees to the trademark application system have been introduced, [...]

2024-12-06T15:52:58+11:00December 6th, 2024|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Disney’s Shift in Legal Strategy: A Case Study in Contractual Disputes and Arbitration Clauses

In October 2023, Jeffrey Piccolo faced a devastating loss when his wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, passed away due to a fatal allergic reaction at Raglan Road Irish Pub in Disney Springs, part of the Walt Disney World resort property. Despite assurances that Dr. Tangsuan's meal would be free of allergens to [...]

2024-10-16T15:39:00+11:00October 16th, 2024|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Pointon Partners AGM LAWORLD SYDNEY

Further reflecting on the success of the AGM of LAWorld in Sydney, with some additional photos of our team at the fantastic event. We again give thanks to all of our LAWorld network for a successful and informative AGM and very much look forward to building upon the prestigious international [...]

Burger Brawl: Hungry Jack’s’ BIG JACK not deceptively similar to McDonald’s’ BIG MAC

In McD Asia Pacific LLC v Hungry Jack’s Pty Ltd,[1] the Federal Court dismissed McDonald’s trade mark infringement claim against Hungry Jack’s for using BIG JACK and MEGA JACK in relation to hamburgers. However, Hungry Jack’s was held liable for engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct. This is one of [...]

2024-03-14T15:38:57+11:00March 14th, 2024|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Australian Trade Mark Register to Undergo International Harmonisation in 2024

On March 2024, Australia is set to replace its existing Goods and Services pick list with the Madrid Goods and Services list (“MGS list”). Our current pick list is a searchable list of over 60,000 descriptions of goods and services used to describe what goods and services a trade mark [...]

2024-02-22T09:58:34+11:00February 22nd, 2024|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

A MOTHER-load of Oppositions: Energy Beverages Successfully Opposes Application for KANGAROO MOTHER

A recent Federal Court decision between the owners of the MOTHER Mark and Kangaroo Mother Australia provides guidance for prospective trade mark owners on what to consider before applying for a trade mark. Background Energy Beverages (EB) is a supplier of energy drinks for the Australian market, its MOTHER energy [...]

2023-10-02T10:06:49+11:00October 2nd, 2023|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Australia-UK FTA unleashes exciting opportunities for Australian businesses

The highly anticipated Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UK FTA) came into force on 31 May 2023. [1] The A-UK FTA is one of the most comprehensive and innovative free trade agreements Australia has signed to date, opening up a wealth of opportunities for Australian businesses and services entering the [...]

2023-07-24T14:21:07+10:00July 24th, 2023|Categories: Commercial, Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Businesses should think twice before using a shape mark

A recent Federal Court case illustrates why businesses should ensure that they are using their trademarks correctly when they are taking action against a third-party for trademark infringement. In this case, the defendant was successful in their counterclaim alleging that the plaintiff had failed to use their shape mark properly. [...]

2022-11-17T11:52:13+11:00November 17th, 2022|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

ACCC v Airbnb: Airbnb allegedly misled Australians about accommodation prices

Australia’s consumer watchdog has commenced proceedings against Airbnb for false or misleading representations about their services. The ACCC argues that Airbnb had made it unclear that the dollar sign ($) they were displaying on their website was in American dollars (‘USD’) instead of Australian dollars (‘AUD’). This has reportedly affected thousands [...]

2022-06-27T15:42:13+10:00June 27th, 2022|Categories: Commercial, Intellectual Property|Tags: , |

Meghan Markle & the Trade Mark ‘Archetypes’

As part of her contract with Spotify, Meghan Markle’s (Mrs. Markle) upcoming podcast has been highly anticipated. In preparation for its release, Mrs. Markle’s podcast company, Archewell Audio LLC, has filed an application in the United States to trade mark the title, ‘ARCHETYPES’. If this application is successfully registered, the U.S. [...]

2022-05-25T14:55:44+10:00May 25th, 2022|Categories: Intellectual Property|Tags: , , |
Go to Top