On 11 March 2026, the High Court of Australia handed down its highly anticipated decision in Taylor v Killer Queen LLC [2026] HCA 5, allowing the appeal of Australian fashion designer Katie Jane Taylor and preserving her registered trade mark "KATIE PERRY" for clothing following an application to cancel the mark by world-famous pop superstar Katy Perry.

This article will looks back on some of the key developments that occurred in the franchising sector in 2024, offering a reminder of changes and developments that occurred and foreshadowing what franchise businesses can expect in this coming year.

Scam emails from senders purporting to be Trade Mark Attorneys from “Trademark Registry Hub” or “Patents Registry Hub” are currently circulating with a number of our client’s reportedly receiving the same communication. These emails can be concerning and convincing. Here’s what to do.

It is reported that Rachael Gunn (better known as ‘Raygun’) who represented Australia in Break Dancing at this year’s Olympics in Paris has sent a letter of demand to Steph Broadbridge alleging potential infringements of her unregistered trade marks and copyright should Ms Broadbridge perform her musical ‘Raygun: The Musical’. The musical was set to be performed on Saturday, but was pulled following Raygun’s letter of demand.

“This case is an unfortunate one in the sense that two enterprising women in different countries each adopted their name as a trade mark at a time that each was unaware of the existence of the other.”

Receiving a letter of demand alleging copyright infringement can be daunting. However, allegations of infringement should not be ignored, so as not to be exposed to significant additional damages. A recent decision from the Federal Court highlights the importance of acknowledging such demands.

On Thursday 16 November 2023, the Federal Court handed down the decision McD Asia Pacific LLC v Hungry Jack’s Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 1412 (McD) where it was held the trade mark ‘BIG JACK’ and ‘MEGA JACK’ were not deceptively similar to McDonald’s registered trade marks ‘BIG MAC’ and ‘MEGA MAC’.

Receiving an offer from a publisher is an exciting moment. Nothing quite compares to the thrill of knowing that one day your work may be seen in print.

Are you considering taking your products and services global?

Australia’s Export Market Development Grant Scheme (EMDG) is a government financial assistance program that assists small and medium enterprises to start or expand their export business.

Receiving an offer from a publisher is an exciting moment. Nothing quite compares to the thrill of knowing that one day your work may be seen in print.

Every destination on the Internet – whether it be a news site, blog, online store or business portal – has a unique address, and that address falls under a domain name.

We Aussies like to shorten everything. So, it comes as no surprise that the Australian Domain Administration (auDA) has announced plans to make available a shortened Australian country domain by releasing a brand new second-level domain (2LD) for eligible Australian businesses – the highly anticipated <.au> namespace.

IP Australia is providing applicants with an opportunity to file a free streamlined extension of time of up to three months due to the COVID-19 disruptions.

A new report on the economic contribution of Australia’s copyright industries identifies software developers and advertising services as high performing copyright industries.

The case of the pirated blueberries: the value of registration as an anchor for protecting Plant Breeder’s Rights

Whether you are a creative about to enter into a book deal or an editor looking to commission, acquire or licence an existing literary work for publication, an understanding of copyright is essential.

Writers and journalists who are looking to reproduce or adapt existing content in their own work should read up on the risks of using copyright-protected content without permission.

Naming your business or products can be a tricky and time consuming process. You want a name that represents who you are, and what you do but is also catchy and unique. Importantly, that name should also be one which can be protected by registering a trade mark. You can read why trade mark registration is so important here

Are the eggs you buy really ‘free range’?  From 26 April 2018, you will be able to tell as all egg producers will be required to state on their carton labels the maximum outdoor stocking density if packaging ‘free range’ eggs. 

Did you know that as of 22 February 2018, your business may be required to notify the Australian Information Commissioner if you experience a data breach?  Is your business ready?  Do have a data breach response plan in place?