Trade Marks and Brands

In the infancy of a new brand our work can include screening and clearance of new trade marks and brands. This can include regional and international clearance projects in New Zealand, Australia and internationally too. Our projects can include work for large international businesses on new product names and sub-brands, established national businesses looking to launch a new core brand, and SME’s starting out in the market.

Assessing an acceptable level of clearance risk to the business is aways a key consideration before launch. Most searching will identify a level of risk, so it is important that the business is comfortable with the risk or mitigate some of that risk, before launch.

Advising on a cost-effective strategy for our clients’ trade mark portfolios, including new filings, is an important step in the life of a brand. Securing protection by using Paris convention priority and stealth-filing strategies can be an important first step in securing the brand in important markets on launch.

We also understand the importance of protecting the value of a brand once registered or protected. Defending our client’s brand is an essential part of our service. We believe that a brand should be effectively and consistently enforced in order to maintain its value and deter infringers and opportunists.

Our opposition and litigation strategies, that we have developed through our experience and expertise in New Zealand, Australia and around the world, mean that we can help our clients develop and maintain cost-effective local, national and international enforcement strategies. Our experienced lawyers manage enforcement matters expertly, with the goal of certainty, minimal disruption to the business and avoiding or at least mitigating risk or costs exposure to the business.

We aim to take the hassle out of managing the protection and enforcement for our clients’ valuable brands, and make any challenges simple, by reducing the burden in protecting our clients' trade mark and brands.