News

New Patents Bill introduced

A review of the Patents Act 1953 was performed by the Ministry of Economic Development and a draft Bill released in late 2004. Read More

Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act

The New Zealand government recently passed an Amendment Act to the Copyright Act 1994 which is said to update New Zealand’s copyright law to ensure that New Zealand “keeps up to speed with recent advances in digital technology”. Read More

New "Contrary to Morality" Practice in New Zealand - Importance for Biotech Patents

The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) recently completed a review of its practice of raising objections based on morality considerations, and has just released new guidelines that may cause difficulties for some biotechnology patent applications. Read More

Controversy over new guidelines on the morality of biotech patents

The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) recently completed a review of its practice of raising objections based on morality considerations, and has just released new guidelines that may cause difficulties for some biotechnology patent applications. Read More

New Zealand and China Free Trade Agreement

On 7 April 2008 New Zealand and China signed a free trade agreement (“the agreement”). Read More

Australian trade marks

*Warning - Overdue Australian trade mark renewals grace period reduced, effective 28 March* While it is advisable to renew trade mark registrations on time, it has been possible to renew Australian trade mark registrations up to twelve months... Read More

Baldwins ranked top tier NZ patent firm

Managing Intellectual Property "World IP Survey 2008" results have been released. Baldwins has again participated in Managing IP's survey of leading firms in 65 jurisdictions. Read More

Genealogy services not similar to services to trace living relatives

In Intellectual Reserve Inc v Sintes (CIV 2007-404-2610, December 13 2007), the High Court has dismissed an appeal from the decision of the assistant commissioner of trademarks in relation to a stylised version of the words 'family search'. Read More

Great Barrier Air banned from using its name

In Great Barrier Airlines Flight Operations Limited v Great Barrier Air Limited (CIV 2007-404-5710, December 13 2007), the High Court has issued an interim injunction preventing the use of the name Great Barrier Air in relation to... Read More

Application to register mark by co-owner deemed to be in bad faith

In Neumann v Sons of the Desert SL (CIV 2007-485-212, November 5 2007), the High Court has confirmed that where there are co-owners of a trademark, an application to register the mark by only one of the... Read More