Australia

Firm overview

Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick is a leading Australian intellectual property firm. With a proven history and strong reputation built on over 130 years’ experience, we manage our clients’ intellectual property portfolios across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and South-East Asia, as well as globally through our network of trusted associate firms.

As a specialist intellectual property firm we provide tailored end-to-end intellectual property services and offer our client’s practical advice which is aligned to their commercial objectives. 

Our clients have access to the full suite of intellectual property services – from patent, trademark and design capture and protection through to enforcement, agreements, searching and investigations and commercialisation support. Additionally, we represent the largest patent filers both locally in Australia, and abroad in the United States of America. 

We offer our services through three organisations, each specialising in a different aspect of intellectual property: 

• Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick (POF) – Our patent and trade marks attorney firm specialising in obtaining and maintaining patents, trade marks and registered designs. 
• Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick Lawyers (POFL) – Our associated law firm with a strong reputation in enforcement, intellectual property litigation and commercial agreements, is also an Australian leader in anti-counterfeiting programs and activities. The POFL team works closely with our patent and trade marks attorneys to run oppositions and litigation to ensure you benefit from the strengths of their combined skill sets. All POFL Partners are also registered patent attorneys with qualifications in science or engineering. This provides them with the technical background to understand our clients’ key issues in litigation.
• Intellectual Property Organisers (IPO) – Our specialist search and investigations company providing intellectual property research and searching services, watching services, as well as intellectual property portfolio audits and reporting services. 

Many of our clients are innovators at the cutting edge of science and technology and include multi-national corporations, universities and research organisations, SME’s, clinicians and start-ups. Whether our clients require assistance with patents, trade marks, protecting or exploiting developments, we will help to ensure their intellectual property strategy is in line with their business objectives.

Our clients value the depth of our resources and the breadth of our technical expertise. With a large number of registered patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys in our Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide offices, we can offer clients expertise across a broad range of technologies. We match an attorney or a team of attorneys having the most appropriate experience to each client matter, ensuring our clients receive the highest quality of work while maintaining cost-efficiencies. 

We also provide our clients with a bespoke intellectual property Commercialisation service which enables us and our alliance partners to review, advise on and encapsulate the commercial reasons for a patent and trade mark filing strategy. The program covers ideation, opportunity development and business development, as well as ongoing education and training for clients.

Being privately owned ensures we can remain focussed on placing clients first, providing a high level of client service. All our attorneys work collaboratively together across practice teams and offices and we value diversity and equality within our teams. 

Our strong reputation and long-standing relationships have been achieved through our unmatched ability to identify, develop, protect, manage and enforce intellectual property assets. Our mission is to be our clients’ intellectual property partner for business success by supporting an intellectual property strategy that is in line with their commercial objectives.

Last updated 29th 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.

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

FPA Patent Attorneys (FPA) is an independent, top-tier Australian-based patent attorney practice with expertise in patent and design filing, prosecution and oppositions in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. We also have particular insights into Indonesia. We support clients in these jurisdictions and in each technology space. Our clients include worldwide listed companies as well as Australia’s leading universities, research organisations and start-ups.

FPA comprises a team of patent attorneys qualified in a range of science and engineering disciplines including materials science, chemical and civil engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, physics, organic and inorganic chemistry, biotechnology, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Our practice is led by 12 Principals and 8 Senior Associates and is supported by a group of patent attorneys, patent scientists, patent engineers and patent administrators.

Our patent attorneys have many years of expertise, advanced qualifications and a proven record of success. Discover more about our expertise.

FPA is a private incorporated, registered attorney firm that is wholly owned by QANTM Intellectual Property Limited, an Australian Securities Exchange listed company. QANTM IP also owns the longstanding patent attorney firm Davies Collison Cave Pty Ltd, Davies Collison Cave Law Pty Ltd, Davies Collison Cave Asia Pte Ltd and Advanz Fidelis IP Sdn Bhd (ADVANZ).

Why choose FPA Patent Attorneys?

When you partner with FPA, you gain access to experienced patent attorneys, and some of the finest minds in the industry. We seek to be the best at what we do - to exceed our client expectations every time.

Our efforts have been recognised, with FPA this year being awarded Australian Patent Prosecution Firm of the Year in the Managing Intellectual Property Stars IP Patent Firm Survey, which is based on the results of client interviews and surveys.

Thanks to our exclusive strategic relationship with Herbert Smith Freehills, we also provide access to Australia’s best intellectual property litigators, licensing and technology transfer legal practitioners and trade mark attorneys. Complementary commercial law services include competition and anti-trust, tax, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and equity capital markets.

We have a long history in advising on contested proceedings, assisting in more court actions than our competitors. Since 2000, FPA Patent Attorneys has accumulated experience in over 100 Australian oppositions. We are experienced through all stages, from filing through to attendance at hearings. Our oppositions practice covers a very broad range of technologies.

FPA work with and support IP practitioners including litigators and commercial lawyers throughout our region and worldwide. Learn more about our services.

More than a Patent Attorney

FPA believe that the patent attorney relationship should involve more than a mere following of client instructions. We invest our time into understanding global industries and getting to know the business of our clients. This approach enables us to become a strategic advisor and to be better placed to foreshadow risk and maximise opportunities for clients in any situation.

Last updated 22nd July 2019