Trade mark registration stacks up for JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi has won its battle to retain its Australian trade mark registration for STACK, its popular entertainment news brand, successfully challenging the Trade Mark Registrar’s proposed revocation. The trade mark STACK is used for JB Hi-Fi’s magazine and website, providing news and reviews for games, movies, tv and music[1]. The retailer acquired the unregistered …
>> Read more

Brazil joins Madrid System

Brazil has become the latest member of the Madrid System. From 2 October this year, Australian trade mark owners will be able to seek protection in Brazil when filing an application for international registration using the Madrid System. The Madrid System enables trade mark owners to file a single international trade mark application to seek …
>> Read more

US Trade Marks to require a US-licensed Attorney

The US Patent and Trademark Office has announced that, as of 3 August 2019, all foreign-domiciled trademark owners must be represented by an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the US. Currently it is possible for foreign-domiciled owners to file submissions at the USPTO directly on their own behalf, although if they do …
>> Read more

‘Lawyer X’: the enigma, the scandal and now… the trade mark?

In 2014, the Herald Sun broke the explosive story of an unnamed barrister moonlighting as a police informer. She was dubbed ‘Lawyer X’ and soon became Australia’s most infamous barrister. Shortly after her identity was recently revealed, it was announced that Foxtel and News Corp Australia had commissioned a drama mini-series titled ‘Lawyer X: The …
>> Read more

How’s that? Worth an appeal

Red Energy Pty Limited v Registrar of Trade Marks [2018] FCA 1449 A recent decision of Justice Beach in the Federal Court may have breathed new life into appeals from Trade Marks Office decisions during prosecution. Background Energy retailer Red Energy filed Australian Trade Mark Application No. 1746950 for the mark EVENPAY for various goods …
>> Read more

Kraft peanut butter, never oily or dry – and never imitated?

Australian Federal Court not impressed with parallel AU/US proceedings Earlier this year, in a decision¹ made by O’Callaghan J of the Federal Court of Australia, Kraft was restrained from proceeding with arbitration proceedings against Bega in the US. The dispute arose in the context of the sale and promotion of BEGA branded peanut butter produced …
>> Read more

Trade Marks Registrar has corrective powers curtailed

The power of the Registrar to correct errors appearing in the Trade Marks Register appears to have been curtailed by the recent decision of the Full Court in Vokes v Laminar Air Flow[1]. Vokes was the original owner of a series of trade marks however, an incorrectly filed change of name form (in circumstances where …
>> Read more

The marvellous world of superhero licensing

The Marvel franchise has enjoyed unprecedented box office success over the last decade, culminating in numerous films, TV series and other digital media. The most famous of these films focussing on The Avengers, Marvel Studios’ mascot super heroes. For a shared fictional universe as vast as the one Marvel Studios (Marvel) have presented, there have …
>> Read more

Federal Court smashes Bohemia Crystal monopoly

Crystal from Bohemia has a long history of recognition for its high quality of craftsmanship and innovative designs. Chances are you’ve probably noticed it gathering dust on your grandma’s mantelpiece. However, in Australia, it has been involved in a trade mark tussle resulting in the marks BOHEMIA and BOHEMIA CRYSTAL being struck off the Register. …
>> Read more