Intellectual Property | Asia-Pacific

Allens maintains an acclaimed practice with expertise across the full range of IP issues, including commercialisation, contentious and regulatory matters spanning trade mark and patent infringements, and transactional matters. The team's patent experience covers life sciences and technology matters, and the practice has a strong track record working with leading multinational corporations, particularly in the media and advertising sectors. The firm offers leading expertise in the areas of copyright, brand protection and anti-counterfeiting.

Gilbert + Tobin is notable for its breadth of skills, advising on transactional and contentious copyright, design, patent and trade mark issues. The team serves an impressive range of both local and global corporations, and is especially known for its prominence in the technology and media sectors, where it advises on gaming, software and online systems. It also possesses expertise in areas as diverse as mining and healthcare. The team is particularly well regarded for its ability to assist clients on IP litigation, and is notably active of late on appellate work. Gilbert + Tobin offers comprehensive skills on IP transactions including issues of royalty and distribution fee disputes, as well as advertising and regulatory compliance.

Herbert Smith Freehills is a pre-eminent group with an outstanding track record in patent litigation in both the pharmaceutical and technological sectors. Its expertise crosses the spectrum of IP services, with groups of commercial IP practitioners and litigators as well as a dedicated trade marks management and prosecution team, and the team has significant experience handling commercialisation and transactional matters. Herbert Smith Freehills regularly advises leading multinational clients on all aspects of IP protection, including the coordination of multi-jurisdictional cases, as well as advising on trade mark portfolio management and the IP aspects of market entry for new products.

Ashurst has a highly accomplished practice which impresses on both contentious and non-contentious matters. The team is thoroughly experienced in handling high-profile patent, copyright and trade mark disputes, trade mark portfolio management, anti-counterfeiting matters and brand protection for a raft of well-known clients. The practice also offers specialist expertise in food labelling, advertising and marketing advice and the regulation of therapeutic goods and cosmetics. Ashurst acts for an impressive list of domestic and international clients within the technology, life sciences, food and beverage, retail, sports and media sectors.

Baker McKenzie has enviable cross-border capability and is frequently instructed by distinguished Australian brand owners and blue-chip multinationals. This well-regarded practice provides comprehensive coverage of all IP assets, with particular strength advising household-name corporates in respect of brand protection and anti-counterfeiting actions as well as franchising, site-blocking and other copyright, patent and passing-off matters. Baker McKenzie has strong capability in global trade mark portfolios and is able to service clients across a wide range of industries, including food and beverages, consumer goods, retail, healthcare, hospitality, media and technology.

Clayton Utz offers broad-based IP expertise including trade mark and copyright protection, with frequent involvement in cases featuring an international element. The team handles complex patent matters for a diverse clientele, most notably in the pharmaceutical, technology and telecom sectors, and is active in both contentious and non-contentious matters, though particularly strong on disputes. The firm offers significant expertise in design infringement, passing off and misleading conduct cases.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth has a well-established practice adept at handling contentious and non-contentious matters for global and domestic clients, dealing with both domestic and cross-border cases. The team has a strong focus on the protection of patents and trade marks, with extensive expertise in life sciences and pharmaceuticals as well as high technology and energy and natural resources. Corrs Chambers Westgarth has strong expertise in branding and trade mark portfolio management, particularly on behalf of prominent international companies, and has additional expertise in handling false or misleading advertising litigation.

King & Wood Mallesons has a renowned litigation team with extensive experience in patent, trade mark and copyright disputes in both the domestic market and overseas through its global connections. It possesses a strong track record in brand protection and advertising clearances. The team acts for an enviable roster of well-known clients in a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals and electronics, and assists with aspects of the protection and enforcement of IP assets. The firm is further able to handle the IP aspects of commercial transactions including IP asset transfer, licensing and commercialisation agreements and is also ideally placed for cross-border matters in Asia, particularly China.

MinterEllison advises across the full range of IP disputes, including high-profile copyright, trade mark and patent actions. It acts for a number of major corporates on IP protection and rebranding strategies. The team also has extensive experience in handling commercialisation matters and has a depth of expertise handling complex patent disputes, with a track record working with leading international clients from the pharmaceutical, telecommunications, media and technology sectors. MinterEllison's practice also includes a full registration service from a team of patent and trade mark attorneys.

Bird & Bird benefits from a strong global network and is able to advise multinationals hailing from a range of sectors, including life science, media, telecommunications and education. The firm boasts an impressive track record handling trade mark prosecution and patent litigation matters and is experienced in claims involving breach of copyright and confidential information within the media and technology sectors. The team has additional expertise in unfair competition and advertising.

DLA Piper has an impressive team with a strong focus on transactional matters and contentious and non-contentious IP work. It serves a clientele comprising major pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, as well as investors. The team draws on a strong global network that can provide multi-jurisdictional expertise and is able to assist multinational corporates with their brand management and enforcement strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. DLA Piper acts for major brands on global portfolio management, in addition to advertising and marketing issues.

Jones Day fields this Australian branch of a global IP practice, which leverages the firm's wider international expertise in cross-border prosecution, licensing and litigation matters. It has a strong reputation for its handling of contentious patent matters, especially in the life sciences arena, where the team is singled out for its scientific knowledge and expertise. Its impressive client list comprises many well-known, international pharmaceutical companies which it assists with the protection of patents covering key high-value drugs and treatments. Jones Day also advises clients in the technology field on copyright, trade mark, breach of confidence and design matters.

Norton Rose Fulbright is recognised for its global, regional and domestic brand protection and IP portfolio management expertise as well as for its experienced litigation team. The team is experienced in handling the IP aspects of corporate and M&A transactions and is able to offer an integrated international practice, providing clients with a connected, cross-border service for multi-jurisdictional litigation and global trade mark portfolio management.

K&L Gates is recognised for its full-service, globally integrated IP practice that offers a patent attorney service as part of the integrated team. It has experience in handling a number of Federal Court disputes involving patents, trade marks and registered design infringement claims. The team also offers expertise in trade mark rebranding, protection strategies and portfolio management. It possesses notable strength within the fashion industry, both locally and internationally, and is highly active in the domestic sports sector.

Maddocks boasts a notable practice with capabilities to handle a wide range of IP matters. It provides particular strength in patents, acting on licensing agreements and commercialisation as well as substantial litigation proceedings in the pharmaceutical, medical technology and chemical engineering industries. It also offers expertise on an array of trade mark-related legal services, including portfolio management, licensing, brand acquisitions and oppositions. Additionally, Maddocks is active on copyright enforcement matters.

Gadens is a well-known national firm that frequently assists clients on trade mark matters, as well as offering additional expertise with regard to copyright and patent issues. The firm advises on contentious and non-contentious matters across a diverse range of industries such as technology, sports, healthcare and retail.

Thomson Geer is known for its work in the field of trade marks and copyrights. It is also well-regarded for its focus on the patent dispute space. The firm advises a broad range of clients.