Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is extremely valuable and is the foundation of people’s and businesses’ technology, brand, and products.

At H&O, we assist our clients in protecting, acquiring and enforcing their intellectual property rights. We have experience working across different industries including technology, agriculture, science, fashion, and media. Through our precise and calculated approach, we continue to protect our clients’ assets in all of their commercial and contractual dealings. With our tailored approach to registering intellectual property in Australia and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), we successfully strengthen our clients’ businesses, value, and identity.

Copyright

The original expression of ideas contained in literary, dramatic, musical, and other artistic works is protected in Australia under a copyright. Our team can assist clients across various sectors, including the everchanging music industry, which requires constant examination. We help our clients realise their rights by evaluating copyrights, advising in licensing matters, enforcing copyright infringements and dispute resolution.

Circuit Layouts

In our technologically rich and connected society, processing power has become the new horsepower, driving change and innovation. At H&O, we assist clients with understanding and enforcing their rights as owners of integrated circuit layout topographies. We can assist with commercial exploitation, copying advice, and enforcement of ownership.

Geographical Indications

Mainly for our agribusiness clients, Geographical Indications (GIs) maintain regional and brand quality. We can assist private entities, central organisations, and local or state authorities with GI registration and management. Our services include assisting producers form an incorporate association, application for certification trade marks to the ACCC, drafting certification rules, and negotiating GI disputes.

Patent

Patents protect a range of intellectual properties such as devices, substances, methods, and processes. Privacy and security are at the forefront of our patent services assisting clients with identifying and securing patentable assets. Our team advises on application and registration processes, patent assessment, license agreements, ownership changes, dispute resolution and patent maintenance.

Plant Breeder’s Rights

Plant breeder’s rights (PBR) provide exclusive commercial rights for new or recently exploited plant varieties. At H&O, we have a thorough understanding of rights accessible to plant breeders for essentially derived and dependent varieties as well as harvested material. We assist clients in the application and registration of PBR, commercial licensing, ownership changes, dispute resolution and business advisory services.

Registered Design

Designs are important intellectual property to protect for companies manufacturing or making products. Registered design rights provide our clients with protection over the visual appearance of their goods. As we understand design processes are not so linear, we provide specialised support throughout the registration and amendment process. Our team can assist in design assessment, registration and maintenance, commercialisation, amendments, challenges and enforcements, and dispute resolution.

Trade mark

As brand identification allows our clients to grow their businesses, trademarking protects our client’s brand identifiers. We provide assistance across all forms of trade mark registrations including word, fancy, movement, sound, figurative, scent, colour and shape trade marks. Our team advises on class selection, application and registration, trademark lapses, ownership changes, dispute resolution, contests and adverse examination reports, and enforcement.