Australia

Firm overview

For over a century Bird & Bird have played a key part in protecting some of the world's most ground-breaking inventions and high profile brands; we're confident we can offer you one of the most ambitious, energetic, dedicated groups of intellectual property professionals you're likely to meet.  

We will provide you with a team, rich in real-world experience, comprising experts who have worked at the forefront of pioneering technologies. A substantial number of our lawyers hold qualifications in scientific or technical fields, meaning we are often called upon for our specialist knowledge and insight on large international mandates. We are respected for our creative and original solutions.

We offer both litigation and transactional support in relation to all IP rights, from small innovative projects to the largest, most complex and ground-breaking transactions and disputes.

Our approach has always been centred on client service, collaborating and innovating with our clients to create bespoke solutions that make their lives easier. This includes:- (i) the 'twobirds Pattern' product, a proprietary, in-house patent valuation and analysis tool, that allows us to landscape, analyse, and value patent portfolios in an automated and sophisticated way; and (ii) our innovative and dynamic Brand Protection reporting portal, which uses dynamic charts that give clients an up-to-date overview of their risk profile at any given time.

Talk to us to find out how our tools, experience and our genuine passion for IP can help you devise a strategy that will help to maintain your competitive edge, whilst protecting and optimising your IP in the best way possible.

Internationally Bird & Bird has over 350 IP lawyers, attorneys and legal professionals across our 30 offices, many of whom have known each other and worked together for years, meaning we're all on the same page and offer consistency and quality that runs through all levels of seniority. We are therefore ideally placed to devise and coordinate multi-jurisdictional litigation strategies and (in the future) to represent clients before the Unified Patent Court.

Network Memberships: APAA, AIPPI, AIPLA, CIPA, CITMA, ECTA, EPLAW, IBA, INTA, GRUR, LESI, Marques, PTMG

Office Locations: Australia, Belgium, China, Czech Republic & Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and United States of America

Last updated 11th March 2019 

Firm overview

Founded over 60 years ago, FB Rice is Australia’s leading independent intellectual property firm. Beginning as a small Sydney practice, we have evolved to become a national firm with offices from the east to west coast of Australia, together with a well-established ASEAN hub which services our clients requiring IP services in South East Asia.

We employ the smartest scientists and engineers to ensure our clients have access to the requisite technology expertise. The breadth of our staff expertise is what sets us apart. Whether it is biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, medical devices, pharmaceuticals or software and communication technology, we make sure we have the right specialisation for our clients’ needs.

We enjoy a significant share of provisional patent filings in Australia and have seen significant growth in national phase filings. We are also one of the biggest filers of Australian patent oppositions for both our domestic and international client base, achieving numerous successful outcomes. Litigation support and due diligence also remains an important part of our service offering where we enjoy working alongside law firms in a range of matters.

Our trade marks team has expertise across numerous industries and includes large portfolios and local businesses – from start-up companies to those wishing to further establish themselves. We also offer a high level of strategic advice to clients requiring protection for their industrial designs.

Our Research and Development (R&D) tax consulting business assists organisations in navigating the Australian government's valuable R&D tax incentive program. This addition to the business demonstrates how we have evolved to address our clients’ needs from the beginning to the end of the IP cycle. Our searching capabilities are also an important part of this complete and full service offering, which we tailor for our clients’ needs.

We work with a broad range of clients; including universities and research institutes, government agencies and research co-operatives. At a corporate level, our client base includes both local and international organisations, maximising their investment in fast moving consumer goods, communications technology and resources. We also have strong relationships with a range of associate legal firms.

Being privately owned, we are focused on providing the best possible intellectual property service, with flexibility in service and pricing arrangements. At every point of protecting our clients' intellectual property we maintain a strategic and holistic approach, reading the commercial environment and making sure we maximise the value of their assets. Our local engagement has been the basis upon which we have built the success of the firm today, and we are committed to keeping this foundation in place whilst also operating across multi-jurisdictional contexts that the global economy demands.

We believe our strong firm culture is an integral part of how we approach our clients’ work. We care about our staff and believe in gender equality as evidenced by our inspiring team of female leaders. We also support marriage equality and diversity, and we strive to create a really terrific work environment for our staff. 

Remaining privately owned has meant we are able to maintain our strong client-focussed culture within a competitive market. We support the community through our commitment to providing pro bono services and charitable donations to a range of causes including The Northcott Institute, the Children’s Hospital Westmead, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Hope2Day Ltd and The Smith Family.

Network Memberships: AIPLA, AIPPI, FICPI, INTA, APAA, IPTA, CIPA, IPSANZ, LESANZ, RACI.

Last updated 30th May 2018

Firm overview

At Shelston IP our teams of specialist patent attorneys, trade marks attorneys and IP lawyers provide comprehensive and fully integrated IP services and advice. Our services encompass the protection, management, commercialisation and enforcement of IP, locally and internationally.

We pride ourselves on our technical expertise, our quality of service, and our commercially-relevant advice. In addition, Shelston IP is always easy to understand and easy to work with, which over our 160 years of operation has been recognised by our clients and the global IP professional community.

The consistent first class expertise offered by Shelston IP across the full range of services sets us apart from “full service” commercial law firms who cannot offer the depth and breadth of expertise Shelston IP provides to clients across all aspects of intellectual property advice and services. Moreover, unlike the majority of patent attorney firms we have a preeminent IP litigation and commercial law team with significant expertise and capability. Shelston IP is, therefore, one of only a few firms in Australia able to offer a complete range of IP expertise and services, which includes patent, design and trade mark prosecution, commercialisation and litigation. 

This breath of practice offers many advantages and benefits to our clients.  

The four cornerstones of our practice, built on strong foundations over the course of our 160-year history, are: 

• technical and legal competence that is second to none 
• strategic, astute, commercially relevant advice 
• clear, timely and frequent communication in plain English 
• recognition that our success is entirely reliant on the success of our clients, and tailoring both our advice and costs accordingly.  

For further information regarding our attorneys, lawyers and capabilities, please visit our website at www.ShelstonIP.com

Last updated 3rd June 2020

Firm overview

Madderns is an independently owned and operated Australian patent and trade mark attorney firm which services clients across Australian and around the globe.

From designing and advising on appropriate searches, through to the creation and enforcement of new patent, trade mark, design and domain name rights in Australia and overseas, Madderns provides a comprehensive range of services spanning the entire intellectual property (IP) life cycle. Madderns’ services also include assisting clients with managing their IP portfolios by conducting audits to identify and capture IP assets and providing strategic advice to help identify and manage risks associated with third party IP rights.

Madderns’ patent team has a breadth of capability across all relevant technical areas, including chemistry, ICT, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, life sciences, plant breeding rights and circuit layout rights.  Notably, Madderns’ ICT team has been recognised as one of the leading teams in this field in Australia.

Our trade marks team has particular experience in conducting contested trade mark opposition proceedings and non-use cancellation actions before the Australian Trade Mark Office.

Most of our attorneys are also registered to practice in New Zealand. Our New Zealand services include filing and prosecuting patent, trade mark and design applications directly with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ). Madderns also has an in-house Asian-focus group which includes a team of Chinese speaking patent and trade mark attorneys.

Members of Madderns’ team are active members of international professional organisations, such as IPSANZ, INTA and FICPI.

Our team is your team.