Pipers

Stay up to date with the latest intellectual property developments from New Zealand and around the world.

Evidence Threshold for Evidence of Use over the Internet Considered

21st June 2018

In the recent revocation decision Target Australia Pty Ltd v Target New Zealand Ltd the Assistant Commissioner applied a high standard in determining what can constitute evidence of use, particularly in relation to claimed use over the internet...

Uncertainty about whether Advancement Patents Bill will Survive First Reading

30th May 2018

On 16th May 2018 the first reading of the Patents (Advancement Patents) Amendment Bill was initiated, but only 2 of the scheduled 11 speeches were made before progress of the Bill was interrupted. The Members Bill, which is sponsored by an opposition party member, has subsequently slipped down the Order Paper...

Introduction of Second Tier Patents Possible for New Zealand

26th April 2018

On 5th April 2018 the Member’s Bill Patents (Advancement Patents) Amendment Bill was drawn on its first ballot...

Synergy of Combinations can be Obvious if Discovered by Routine Steps

23rd March 2018

In the recent Hearings Office decision Syngenta Crop Protection AG v Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH the Delegate held that claims to a synergistically effective active compound combination to be obvious as the person skilled in the art would find the synergistic effect through routine trials...

Judge Holds that Assessment of Ownership can be Affected by Events Subsequent to Filing Date

16th February 2018

In SC Johnson & Son Ltd v International Consolidated Business Pty Ltd the High Court Judge quashed an Assistant Commissioner’s decision and ordered a rehearing before the Assistant Commissioner on the issue of ownership...