Spruson & Ferguson have a long history of providing intellectual property protection in the Australasian region. In fact, we are one of the largest intellectual property (IP) firms in Australia and one of the oldest, established in 1887.
Our professional team of patent and trade mark attorneys in Australia are qualified to act directly before IP Australia, the Federal Government body that administers IP legislation relating to patents, trade marks, registered designs and plant breeder’s rights. Our long history has allowed us to build robust infrastructure, supported by sophisticated systems and highly skilled and experienced teams.
Australian Offices
Spruson & Ferguson is one of the only specialist intellectual property firms with true regional capability, knowledge and experience.
With offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, our patent attorneys in Australia, trade mark attorneys and registered design specialists are able to provide IP protection across more than 25 jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific.
Patent Attorney Services
The expertise of our Patent Attorneys in Australia enables us to deliver a comprehensive range of patent-related services. This includes the identification of IP, prior art searching, patentability advice and assessments, drafting patent applications in all technology areas, strategic advice in relation to patent portfolios, portfolio rationalisation, IP auditing, patent portfolio management, international and local patent prosecution, patent opposition proceedings, patent watches and advice on patent infringement and validity.
Spruson & Ferguson have produced a Patents Information Kit that discusses the work involved in obtaining a patent and the procedures you can expect a Spruson & Ferguson patent attorney in Australia to follow. The Australian Patents Information Kit covers:
- Obtaining a patent in Australia
- Patent procedures
- An Australian Standard Patent Application process
- Australian Innovation Patent Application process
- The searches that must be conducted
- Overseas patent applications
- The International patent application process
It also provides a questionnaire intended to elicit sufficient information to enable a Spruson & Ferguson patent attorney to provide assistance.
Trade Mark Attorney Services
Our team of highly qualified trade mark attorneys in Australia have extensive experience advising on all aspects of the trade mark lifecycle, including brand creation, trade mark searching, registering trade marks, filing applications, all aspects of trade mark prosecution, prosecuting and defending opposition and actions for removal and monitoring correct trade mark usage.
Spruson & Ferguson have produced a Trade Marks Guide for Australia, covering everything you need to know about trade marks in Australia. The comprehensive guide examines the importance of trade marks, including the trade mark lifecycle, how to protect and use a trade mark and how to maximise the value of your trade mark.
The Trade Marks Guide for Australia covers:
- What is a trade mark?
- Trade mark selection
- Trade mark registration
- National vs international trade marks
- Trade mark use
- Trade mark enforcement, protection and management
- Trade mark assignments and licensing
- Business names, company names and domain names
There is also a trade mark checklist intended to elicit sufficient information to enable a Spruson & Ferguson trade mark attorney to provide assistance.
Design Services
IP Australia uses the word ‘design’ to refer to the features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation which give a product a unique appearance. A registered design must also be new and distinctive.
Our Designs team in Australia handles design applications for clients across various industries and has assisted a large number of companies to obtain registered design protection locally and overseas.
Over the years, Spruson & Ferguson have assisted a large number of companies to obtain registered design protection in Australia and overseas. The firm handles design applications for some of the world’s largest companies in the automotive, engineering, furniture design, homewares, fashion and packaging industries.
Spruson & Ferguson have produced an Australian Design Information Kit to outline the processes involved in protecting the unique visual appearance of a product and design.
IP Law Services
Our capability as a firm is further enhanced by Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers, the first intellectual property law firm in Australia to specialise exclusively in IP law.
Our Patent, Trade Mark, Design & IP Attorneys in Australia turn to Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers to provide commercial legal and IP litigation services. These services include:
- IP licensing and technology transfer
- Structuring, negotiating and drafting agreements relating to research and development
- Establishment of new entities
- Advice on regulation of labelling requirements
- Dispute resolution of business and domain names
- Litigation and dispute resolution
- Challenging the validity of patent rights, breaches of confidence and misleading conduct actions
As an intellectual property law firm, our experienced patent lawyers in Australia and trade mark legal specialists have built an outstanding practice. We have successfully acted for both Applicants and Respondents in a broad range of technical areas in both Federal Court and High Court jurisdictions. When required, our patent and trade mark attorneys work closely with the IP litigation and dispute resolution team of Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers to achieve the best possible outcome.
Find out more about Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers, the leading IP law firm in Australia with a depth of experience in IP Litigation that is unparalleled in Australia. We have produced an ‘About Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers’ Information Kit to provide a brief overview of our IP law services.