Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers was Australia’s first law firm to specialise exclusively in intellectual property law. With decades of experience, we are consistently recognised for our deep expertise in trade marks, patents, designs and copyright law — and for our role in shaping landmark IP cases across the country.
Our team advises on all aspects of IP disputes and litigation, commercialisation strategy, technology transactions, privacy laws and data protection. Whether you’re defending your rights or unlocking new opportunities, we deliver practical, strategic legal solutions tailored to your business.
Tailored IP advice for your industry and goals
We know that every business is different — and so is every legal challenge. Our approach is to gain a deep understanding of our clients’ unique commercial goals and needs in order to provide practical, commercially relevant, and actionable legal advice. By tailoring our advice to specific sectors and business objectives, we ensure that our clients receive the most effective guidance for their success.
From startups to global enterprises, we’re your strategic partners, helping you protect, manage and maximise the value of your intellectual property.
Working with innovators across the globe
Our clients include leading companies in information technology, telecommunications, energy and resources, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and consumer products. Many are referred by generalist law firms and patent attorneys who trust us to deliver specialist IP advice with precision and care.
We provide IP litigation and commercial legal services in Australia including:
Infringement of rights – patents, plant breeders rights, trade marks, copyright, registered designs – including urgent interlocutory injunctions, ex parte injunctions and search orders, preliminary discovery
Breaches of misleading or deceptive conduct laws (the Australian Consumer Law), including in respect of similar trade marks, domain names, products or packaging
Breaches of confidence or disclosure of trade secrets – often where employees or teams leave an organisation to work elsewhere
Challenging rights – challenging validity and opposing the grant of rights to enable clients to obtain freedom to operate
Ownership disputes – obtaining ownership of IP rights where a third party has attempted to wrongly assert ownership.
IP related agreements – structuring, negotiation and drafting, including IP assignments, licensing agreements for copyright, trade marks, patents and software and franchising agreements
Intra-group arrangements with respect to IP and revenue and service charges for transfer pricing purposes across jurisdictions
Optimisation advice – developing strategies and processes to optimise creation, management, protection and exploitation of IP
Preparation of research services and collaboration (including private / public collaborations), joint venture and confidentiality agreements.
Katrina is counted amongst Australia’s top IP litigation lawyers, with 25 years’ experience of obtaining successful outcomes for clients.
Dual qualified as a lawyer and patent attorney, patent litigation is…
Katrina is counted amongst Australia’s top IP litigation lawyers, with 25 years’ experience of obtaining successful outcomes for clients.
Dual…
Andrew is a specialist in intellectual property disputes. His practice focuses on the life sciences.
Andrew has particular expertise in handling complex patent disputes for global leaders in the pharmaceuticals,…
Andrew is a specialist in intellectual property disputes. His practice focuses on the life sciences.
Andrew has particular expertise in…
Duncan is a specialist intellectual property lawyer. He has extensive IP litigation expertise with 18 years’ experience.
Duncan’s practice focuses on patent disputes, including in the mining/energy, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical…
Duncan is a specialist intellectual property lawyer. He has extensive IP litigation expertise with 18 years’ experience.
Duncan’s practice focuses…
For more than a decade, and for at least another decade to come, Australia’s patent law has openly applied a double-standard with respect to written description requirements, namely the…
For more than a decade, and for at least another decade to come, Australia’s patent law has openly applied…
Next steps: tips for start-ups and early-stage ventures
In our previous article, we discussed IP first steps for start-ups and early-stage ventures, especially those that may be encouraged by the…
Next steps: tips for start-ups and early-stage ventures
In our previous article, we discussed IP first steps for start-ups and…
For more than a century, the needle and syringe have been the standard tools of immunisation. Now, advances in engineering and formulation are driving a shift toward needle-free vaccine…
For more than a century, the needle and syringe have been the standard tools of immunisation. Now, advances in…
After six months of drafting and revisions, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the finalised version of the Guidelines for Patent Examination on 13 November 2025. These revisions will…
After six months of drafting and revisions, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the finalised version of…
