The New Zealand High Court has overturned a decision of the Commissioner of Patents not to allow an applicant to correct an omission, made by the applicant’s patent attorney, in not requesting postponement of acceptance of a New Zealand patent application. 

IPAustralia has just completed its four-yearly fee review, with changes to come into effect from 1 October 2024. While the majority of the changes are fairly straightforward and customary, a change to the way excess claim fees for patent applications are charged presents a new consideration for patent applicants and their advisors in Australia.

In the patent sphere, while the law on inventorship by non-human inventors is now largely settled, the UK High Court recently caused a stir by finding an invention which was heavily reliant on an artificial neural network (ANN), patentable. This note covers the appeal of that decision and its implications.

The High Court decision in Manuka Doctor Ltd v Hill considers the issue of trade mark similarity, and the pivotal consideration of distinctive versus descriptive elements in deciding whether there is a sufficient risk of deception or confusion in order to deny registration.

Under the Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Registration Act 2006 (“the Act”), it is possible to register in New Zealand a Geographical Indication (GI) for wine and spirits.  Following an amendment to that legislation, the nationals of some countries now have protection for GIs for a broader range of goods. 

 With the enactment of the Trade Marks Act 2002, the Māori Trade Marks Advisory Committee was established to address Māori concerns relating to the registration of trade marks that contain a Māori sign. This article discusses the new practice guidelines that can be used to ensure appropriate use on your end.

The New Zealand Court of Appeal has had the opportunity to consider the novel issue of whether copyright is relationship property in terms of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (PRA) following the breakdown of a relationship and found that it is.

The beginning of 2024 has showcased what we forecast for the rest of the year, with a number of awards recognising Henry Hughes and notable individuals for their work