Intellectual Property Disputes    

If you've ever had a great idea, created, invented or developed something which is unique, original and unlike anything anyone else has ever thought of, then there are important steps to take to protect that intellectual property as your own.

When that property is also connected to your financial livelihood or business, then ensuring that it is protected from exploitation by others is not only paramount but makes good commercial sense.

The law can and does offer owners of intellectual property protection and possibly compensation from those who infringe your rights

Whether confidential information has been misused, copyright breached or a patent copied our lawyers are experienced in taking the prompt action that is often necessary to ensure those rights are preserved and protected from use by others.

Our experience covers a broad range disputes including seeking injunctions to prevent the use of confidential information critical to our client’s business to defending a local copyright owner against misuse by a large international company.

We are currently working on a number of cases including:

• acting for a European company who are seeking revocation of a patent granted in Australia
• acting for a company in Australia who alleges a confidentiality agreement was breached by the exploitation of inventive material disclosed under cover of that agreement ,
• pursuing on behalf of an Australian software designer a claim for damages for breach of various intellectual property rights

What is intellectual property?

Intellectual property is an idea or information which is the product of either mind or intellect.

Intellectual property rights (or 'IP rights') apply to original works on paper - literary, dramatic, artistic or musical - films, broadcasts and recordings, new products, processes and designs, commercial trademarks, names and know-how and in some cases even smells or sounds.

How do I go about protecting my intellectual property?

Slater & Gordon's legal team regularly advise clients on the best way to securely register their intellectual property. Our clients include artists and designers, writers, composers and software designers, engineers and architects.

We can also represent you in the unfortunate event of a dispute over intellectual property ownership. We tailor strategies to match your circumstances and, when necessary, will take prompt and forceful action to advance your claim.

Slater & Gordon's areas of expertise include:

• All forms of copyright including computer software and artistic, musical or literary works
• Registration of and disputes regarding trade marks
• Passing off disputes
• Disputes involving business and domain names
• Patent breach and revocation actions
• Disputes regarding industrial designs.
• Breach of confidence or misuse of confidential information disputes

Talk to us

If you would like more information about your intellectual property rights and how we can help you protect them, please contact us either by email or by calling direct on 1800 555 777.