Intellectual Property

Mining company Fortescue, which alleges green iron startup Element Zero misused confidential information, is fighting a bid to cross-examine its external lawyer as part of an application to quash search orders.

A judge overseeing a dispute over an employer’s confidential information has urged litigants to remember their legal costs at an early stage of settlement negotiations, rather than leaving it to the court as the “default option”. 

A Japanese manufacturer of musical instruments has lost its opposition to telecommunications provider Zoom’s bid to register its name as a trade mark, with a delegate finding consumer confusion was unlikely given the difference in the companies’ products.

Investment manager Merricks Capital has resolved its case against a former managing director and two employees, who left the firm for a boutique run by financial commentator Peter Switzer and his son, Marty.

AFL merchandise maker FanFirm has won a trade mark case against US sports merchandise giant Fanatics, with a judge finding it knew about the Australian company’s ‘Fanatics’ trade marks when it chose its corporate name.

US footwear giant Crocs has reached a settlement with Mosaic Brands in a lawsuit accusing the Rivers owner of settling shoes that “flagrantly” copy the look of its unique 13-hole slip-on foam clogs.

Birkenstock has succeeded in securing trade mark protection for the shape of four of its shoes, a boon to the German shoe maker as it fights knock-offs of its popular sandals.

Seeking to quash search orders won by metals company Fortescue against former employees who founded a green iron rival, a lawyer for the start-up has said three terabytes of data were indiscriminately copied, including confidential, privileged and irrelevant material.

Fund manager Real Asset Management has appealed a ruling which upheld mortgage broker RAMS’ bid to block the registration of two RAM trade marks. 

The French association representing wine producers from Champagne has discontinued its lawsuit against an Australian retailer after it agreed to only use seed extract from the Champagne region of France.