Home

About

Intellectual Property

Trade Marks and Brands Collective and Certification Trade Marks Design Rights Copyright Anti-Counterfeiting, Anti-Piracy and Border Protection Domain Names Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) Geographical Indications (GIs)

IP Disputes

Opposition, Revocation, Invalidity Litigation and Appeals before the Registries and the Courts Selected Cases

Insights

JONAH LOMU's widow resolves dispute Consumer Protection - The Right to Repair in New Zealand BROWN NOSE DAY trade mark not Offensive, but is poor taste and likely to be confused and tarnish/dilute RED NOSE DAY trade mark in New Zealand Bad Karma for Expensify – KARMAPOINT to be registered SREX, SANTANA, SHREK THE SHEEP & SHREK

Contact

Auckland Sydney Dunedin Postal Address

Sitemap

Privacy Statement

Terms of Engagement

Insights

Our Insights are intended to provide updates on developments in the law, interesting cases and other newsworthy stories of interest across industries and relevant sectors.

JONAH LOMU's widow resolves dispute

25th August 2025

Overview Following a protracted legal dispute Nadene Lomu has reached a resolution with the estate and executor, of the late All Black rugby legend, Jonah Lomu. In a statement issued by Nadene Lomu and her family it was confirmed that "All trademark rights, usage and ownership regarding Jonah's Name, …

Read More

Consumer Protection - The Right to Repair in New Zealand

28th February 2025

My daughters have both recently damaged their devices. My eldest daughter dropped her phone smashing the frame and my younger daughter dropped her phone on to her school laptop, damaging the screen and causing it to flicker. These are expensive devices to replace, and we telephoned our insurers and …

Read More

BROWN NOSE DAY trade mark not Offensive, but is poor taste and likely to be confused and tarnish/dilute RED NOSE DAY trade mark in New Zealand

12th December 2024

Overview A recent decision National Cancer Foundation Limited v Cure Kids and Red Nose Limited [2024] NZIPOTM 39 (28 November 2024) of Assistant Commissioner Wendy Aldred, in the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand regarding the New Zealand designation of international trade mark registration BROWN NOSE DAY filed by …

Read More

Bad Karma for Expensify – KARMAPOINT to be registered

25th September 2024

Overview In a recent Intellectual Property office of New Zealand (IPONZ) opposition decision Swappoint AG v Expensify, Inc. [2024] NZIPOTM 32 (7 August 2024) some interesting issues were raised. This was the final decision of Assistant Commissioner of Trade Marks, Natasha Alley, before returning to private practice in September …

Read More

SREX, SANTANA, SHREK THE SHEEP & SHREK

11th September 2024

Santana Minerals Limited A recent ASX announcement on 5 September 2024 from Australian and New Zealand dual listed Santana Minerals Limited (ASX/NZX: SMI) has raised some interesting trade mark and copyright issues in the context of their gold mining exploration operations. Scoping studies estimate that Santana's revenue from gold …

Read More

JONAH LOMU New Zealand Trade Mark Invalidated - Nadene Lomu v Stylez Limited [2024] NZIPOTM 33 (12 August 2024)

3rd September 2024

Summary This is a recent decision before the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (“IPONZ”) regarding an application to invalidate the JONAH LOMU trademark registration filed in the name of the late Jonah Lomu’s widow Nadene Lomu (“Mrs Lomu”). Ultimately, the application for invalidity was successful and Mrs Lomu’s …

Read More

A victory for Ireland's Supermac's over McDonald's - BIG MAC

28th August 2024

I recently visited my local McDonald’s. I had in mind the BIG MAC for me and a couple of McFLURRY desserts for the children. On the menu, I encountered the Chicken BIG MAC for the first time. I am not an infrequent visitor to McDonald’s, as my waistline can …

Read More