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The Intellectual Property National Practice Area (NPA) covers disputes concerning matters such as patents, trade marks, copyright, designs, circuit layouts, plant breeder's rights and appeals from the Commissioner of Patents or Registrar of Trade Marks.

The three Sub-areas in the Intellectual Property NPA are:

Patents and Associated Statutes Sub-area

• Patent disputes concerning the exclusive right to commercially exploit inventions (inventive devices, substances, methods or processes).
• Other disputes, including disputes concerning plant breeder's rights in new and distinct varieties of plants.
  

Trade Marks Sub-area

• Any trade mark dispute, with respect to validity of a trade mark and/or distinguishing goods and services (including in respect of a letter, number, word, phrase, sound, smell, shape, logo, picture and packaging).
• "Geographical indication" disputes involving a geographical indication or other term signifying a related attribute of goods.
• An appeal from a decision of the Registrar of Trade Marks.

Copyright and Industrial Design Sub-area

• Copyright disputes concerning works such as books, computer programs, architectural drawings, musical and artistic works and other subject matter such as films and sound recordings.
• Design disputes concerning the distinctive shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation of products in an industrial or commercial context.
• Other disputes, including circuit layout disputes concerning layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips.

The NPA practice note sets out the arrangements for the management of intellectual property proceedings:

Other practice notes which may be relevant to this NPA include:

Filing fees for commencing a proceeding in this NPA may apply. Information about Court fees, including the fees payable and circumstances where an exemption or deferral can be given is available in Forms, Fees & Costs or from the Registry.

Parties should consider whether it is necessary to file a Genuine steps statement (Form 16) in certain proceedings in this NPA - see r 8.02 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) and the Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) (including sections 6, 7 and 16).

The most commonly used forms and rules relating to intellectual property proceedings are:

1.  Commencing intellectual property proceedings

2.  Appeals from the Commissioner of Patents or Registrar of Trade Marks

A party who wants to appeal from a decision of the Commissioner of Patents or the Registrar of Trade Marks must file a Notice of appeal within 21 days of the date of the decision.

3.  Applications under the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994

A claim for infringement of plant breeder's rights under the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 (Cth), may be commenced in the Federal Court by filing:

4.  Applications under the Circuit Layouts Act 1989

Disputes concerning layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips include:

(a)  Determination of equitable remuneration

A party may apply to the Court under section 20(2) of the Circuit Layouts Act 1989 (Cth) for a determination of equitable remuneration in relation to an eligible layout by filing:

(b)  Determination of the terms of the doing of an act

A party may apply to the Court under section 25(4) of the Circuit Layouts Act 1989 for a determination of the terms of the doing of an act in relation to an eligible layout by filing:

For further procedural and case management information you should refer to the Central Practice Note and the Intellectual Property Practice Note.

The Intellectual Property NPA comprises any proceeding relating to the following:

• A patent granted under the Patents Act 1990 (Cth)
• A trade mark registered under the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth)
• Copyright under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
• A registered design / design under: the Designs Act 2003, the Advance Australia Logo Protection Act 1984 (Cth) or the Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987 (Cth)
• Eligible layout rights under the Circuits Layout Act 1989 (Cth)
• Plant breeder's rights under the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 (Cth)
• A geographical indication or other term registered under the Australian Grape and Wine Authority Act 2013 (Cth)
• Other proceedings under those statutes.

• 1 Jul 2022: UON Pty Ltd v Hoascar [2022] FCA 769
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - application for leave to amend statement of claim and notice of appeal in two related proceedings - no fundamental change to the case - proceedings at a relatively early stage - objection to leave to amend on basis that amended pleadings would be liable to be struck out - inadequate particularisation - asserted…
  Judge: Jackson J
• 29 Jun 2022: Group One Limited v GTE Gesellschraft Fur Technische Entwicklungen GMBH [2022] FCA 767
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - consideration of an application for an order requiring the respondents to nominate a new address for service, the respondents having withdrawn the instructions from their present solicitors
  Judge: Greenwood J
• 22 Jun 2022: Hood v Down Under Enterprises International Pty Limited (No 2) [2022] FCAFC 106
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - costs - offer to compromise - Calderbank offer - whether unreasonable to fail to accept offer - appropriate order as to costs in relation to cross-claim involving two distinct issues - where each side successful in relation to one of those issues
  Judge: Yates, Moshinsky and Rofe JJ
• 17 Jun 2022: Watson as Trustee for the Watson Family Trust v Cosmetic Warriors Ltd [2022] FCA 700
  TRADE MARKS - consideration of the question of whether the applicant/appellant has discharged the burden arising under s 100(1)(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) (the "Act") in relation to the question arising under s 92(4)(b) of the Act as to whether in the relevant period contemplated by that section there was use of the trade mark in…
  Judge: Greenwood J
• 3 Jun 2022: C.M.E. Blasting & Mining Equipment Ltd v Rock Tool Refurbishment Solutions Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] FCA 632
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - Interlocutory application by applicant/cross-respondent for orders requiring first respondent/cross-applicant to produce documents and things and for orders for discovery and inspection - where first respondent brings cross-claim for non-infringement declaration under ss 125 and 126 of Patents Act 1990 (Cth) in relation to …
  Judge: Besanko J
• 24 May 2022: Karlsson v Griffith University [2022] FCA 591
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE -- application by applicant for default judgment -- where respondent failed to file a defence within the time permitted by the rules but later excused from doing so until further order -- whether judgment in favour of applicant should be entered PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE -- application by respondent for summary judgment --…
  Judge: Katzmann J
• 23 May 2022: Southern Cross Industrial Group Pty Ltd v Mickala Lighting Towers Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 598
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - application to set aside originating application pursuant to r 13.01 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) - application to strike out all or part of a statement of claim pursuant to r 16.21 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) - application for an order that the applicant provide a Position Statement on Infringement within meaning of…
  Judge: Downes J
• 18 May 2022: GME Pty Ltd v Uniden Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] FCA 638
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - form of final orders - whether delivery up and takedown orders should be made COSTS - whether respondent should pay applicant's costs of and incidental to the application for short service and the interlocutory relief
  Judge: Burley J
• 18 May 2022: Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. v Intervet International B.V. [2022] FCAFC 88
  PATENTS - where leave to appeal sought against primary judge's decision dismissing appeal from decision of delegate of the Commissioner of Patents rejecting opposition to patent application on ground that the invention as claimed did not involve an inventive step - whether primary judge erred in assessment of expert evidence - whether primary…
  Judge: Perram, Nicholas and Burley JJ
• 17 May 2022: Australian Mud Company Pty Ltd v Globaltech Corporation Pty Ltd (No 3) [2022] FCA 596
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE -- application by respondents for order that applicants make election between damages or account of profits -- where applicants have filed evidence with respect to damages and respondents have filed evidence with respect to account of profits -- where applicants seek to reserve making election until after service of…
  Judge: Besanko J

• 24 Sep 2021: The prior use defence and exhaustion doctrine in intellectual property law
  Presented virtually at the launch event of issue 44(2) of the University of New South Wales Law Journal by Justice Rares.
• 1 Mar 2018: Ongoing patent infringement: Is injunctive relief an inevitable outcome? (Abstract)
  Presented at the Journal of Equity Conference on 1 March 2018; published in the Journal of Equity in November 2018.
• 9 Sep 2016: Recent developments in IP remedies
  An edited version of speaking notes used in a presentation at the 30th Annual Conference of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc held 9-11 September 2016 by Justice Yates.
• 23 Oct 2014: Random observations of a Southern Judge or what does sports law have in common with patent law?
  Presented at the IPSANZ Dinner, Brisbane.

• IP Australia
• Copyright Tribunal