Intellectual property is often the most valuable but least understood asset of successful businesses. Intellectual property can include innovations, products, processes and know how, as well as trade marks and the goodwill of an associated business.
For more specific information, click on the headings below.
Intellectual property rights protect intangible creations of the mind.
A patent provides protection for the ideas embodied in novel technologies, products and processes.
A design registration provides protection for aspects of the appearance of an article, such as its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation.
Copyright is a property right which automatically exists in certain categories of original works.
A trade mark may comprise any marking such as a word, phrase, symbol, picture or any combination of these.
Plant variety protection extends to virtually any kind of plant which fulfills the criteria of being new, distinct, homogeneous and stable.
Having the right domain name is crucial in today’s commercial world – so too is enforcing your rights in domain name registrations.
Trade mark and copyright rights can be used to stop the importation of counterfeit products.
The Fair Trading Act 1986, the tort of passing off, the Sale of Goods Act 1908 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
Oppositions, alternative dispute resolution, infringement proceedings, anti-counterfeiting, domain name disputes, fair trading in New Zealand.
Intellectual property agreements, licensing, joint ventures, franchising, competitive intelligence, due diligence, and IP audits.
There are many misconceptions around intellectual property and the rights individuals have in their ideas and inventions.
Our handy guide will help you get to grips with IP and how it can be leveraged to create value in your business.
As authors of New Zealand’s most comprehensive legal text on intellectual property law, we are the number one authority on New Zealand intellectual property matters.