26 August 2026 · Elise Steegstra

Can India Trade Mark Basmati in Australia?

Can a country protect the name of a famous regional product when that product is also legitimately made somewhere else? That was the challenge facing India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products...

12 August 2026 · Elise Steegstra

Brown Nose Day v Red Nose Day: When Are Trade Marks Too Similar?

What happens when two trade marks share the same basic structure, cover the same services and differ by only one colour? That was the question at the heart of the dispute between BROWN NOSE DAY and the...

29 July 2026 · Elise Steegstra

The Hidden IP Risks of Using AI for Marketing

AI has quickly become part of the everyday marketing toolkit. Businesses are using tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Canva AI, Adobe Firefly and other generative AI platforms to write website copy,...

15 July 2026 · Elise Steegstra

Who Owns the Intellectual Property in Your Family Business?

When families talk about business succession, the conversation usually centres on the obvious things. Who will own the shares? Who will become a director? Who gets the business premises? Will one child...

1 July 2026 · Elise Steegstra

Can Peru Trade Mark PISCO?

Can a country effectively claim rights over the name of a drink? That was the question at the heart of the recent Federal Court decision in Republic of Peru (Peruvian State) v Registrar of Trade Marks...

14 May 2026 · Elise Steegstra

High Court Clarifies “Honest Concurrent Use” in Landmark ZIP Trade Mark Decision

The High Court of Australia issued a key decision in Zip Co Limited v Firstmac Limited HCA 16, clarifying the scope of the “honest concurrent use” defence under the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth). This...