Service

Intellectual Property

Summary

Our internationally ranked Intellectual Property team is here to advise you on all aspects of the lifecycle of your intellectual property assets, including strategy, protection, exploitation and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Key services

IP transactions

Joint ventures, sale and purchase, investment and assignment.

Commercialisation of IP

Licensing, R&D collaboration, manufacturing, distribution.

Trade marks

Brand development and protection strategies, market clearance, trade mark registration, prosecution and enforcement and brand portfolio management.

Data protection and privacy

Developing privacy-compliance programmes, advising on data protection undertakings and information assurance programmes, and analysing data processing arrangements against applicable privacy laws.

IP disputes and enforcement

Advising on high value, large scale, complex IP proceedings.

IP advisory

Infringement analysis, protection strategies and advising on parallel importing rules.

Key people

Mark Gavin

Partner

Work Highlights

Acting on a Commerce Commission investigation into a local distributor on unjustified claims made by it based on manufacturer’s advice.
Advising several large retailers, both brick and mortar and online sellers, on Fair Trading Act issues, including Commerce Commission investigations.
Acting on a trade mark dispute between Caterpillar Inc and Tigercat in relation to the use of the CAT brand in two IPONZ proceedings as part of a global dispute.
Acting for Watches of Switzerland Pty Limited of Australia in an ongoing dispute with Watches of Switzerland Pte Limited (Singapore) in three IPONZ proceedings, and High Court proceedings involving passing off and Fair Trading Act allegations.
Advising a social media company on copyright infringement issue around streaming platforms with embedded IP content of third parties.
Acting on all anti-counterfeiting matters in New Zealand for Louis Vuitton.
Advising a food manufacturer on Fair Trading Act issues with product composition and origin claims, including liaising with public relations advisors.
Acting as an independent expert making a determination pursuant to a settlement agreement between Jaguar Landrover and Beacham Special Vehicles over an on-going copyright and Fair Trading Act dispute.
Managing local and international trade mark portfolios is core to our practice. We have considerable experience providing this support to many of our clients, including Emma Lewisham, Intel Corporation, LittleOak Organics, Much Moore Ice-cream, MG Motor and SKOPE.