It's time to review your brands and trade marks!

Malcolm McBratney, Alexia Marinos

When was the last time you reviewed your brand and trade mark portfolio in Australia and overseas? Are all of the brands used by your business protected by registered marks? Has your business expanded the goods and services it provides since your trade marks were registered? Have you tweaked your logo?

Now is the time to review your brand and trade mark portfolios. We have prepared a checklist to assist you to make sure your business is where it should be in respect of its brand and trade mark protection.

Sour Apple after Federal Court of Australia denies 'App Store' trade mark

Alex Hutchens, Malcolm McBratney, Alexia Marinos

The Federal Court of Australia has upheld the Australian Trade Marks Office’s decision (TMO) to refuse to register Apple’s trade mark application for ‘APP STORE’.

Disney issues warning over counterfeit bracelets

Alex Hutchens, Malcolm McBratney, Stephanie Parkin

A number of recent cases indicate that Disney is dealing with a new type of Lyin’ King in the form of counterfeiters.

A cat fight is brewing: unauthorised imitation of Jaguar Land Rover vehicles in China

Alex Hutchens, John Kettle, Malcolm McBratney, Paul McLachlan, Alexia Marinos

Jaguar, the well known British multinational car manufacturer may commence an action against Chinese car manufacturers, Chang’an Automobile Group and Jiangling Motors Corporation (Chang’an and Jiangling) for producing a land rover vehicle known as LandWind that is an imitation of the Jaguar Range Rover Evoque.

At last, the new Franchising Code is here

Franchisors must act fast to comply by January 1

Malcolm McBratney, Dylan Kerrigan, Stephanie Parkin

After much anticipation the new Franchising Code of Conduct is now publicly available and is due to commence on 1 January 2015.

Forget-me-not (just forget what I’ve done)

The right to be forgotten

Alex Hutchens, Malcolm McBratney, Sheena Fraser

To forget is human.  The problem is, the internet never forgets.  At least, not until now.

Earlier this year, European courts confirmed the right of Europeans in certain circumstances to request that information pertaining to them be deleted from the internet.  This means that they no longer have to rely on peoples’ fading memories for what they have done to be forgotten.

Star Wars strikes Bock

Alex Hutchens, John Kettle, Malcolm McBratney, Paul McLachlan

Lucasfilm, the production company behind Star Wars, has filed a trade mark dispute with a small brewery in New York.  Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of Disney, is opposing Empire Brewing Company’s application for its ‘Strikes Bock’ brand of beer.