Intellectual Property Articles

Expert articles and practical legal guides on intellectual property for australian businesses.

How to Use the Trademark Symbol (TM) Correctly

How to Use the Trademark Symbol (TM) Correctly

If you’ve ever wondered how to do the trademark symbol properly for your business name, logo, tagline or product range, you’re not alone. For many Australian small businesses, brand-building happens fast. You...

12 May 2026
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When Remote Work Software Businesses Need an IP Assignment Clause in Australia

When Remote Work Software Businesses Need an IP Assignment Clause in Australia

Remote software teams create valuable IP across code, designs and documentation, but many Australian businesses do not actually own what they paid for

11 May 2026
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What Is a Trademark in Australia? Startups and Small Business Guide

What Is a Trademark in Australia? Startups and Small Business Guide

If you’re building a startup or small business, your brand is one of your most valuable assets. It’s the name people search for, the logo they remember, and the “feel” customers associate...

8 May 2026
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What Does a Trademark Protect? A Practical Guide For Startups And Small Businesses

What Does a Trademark Protect? A Practical Guide For Startups And Small Businesses

If you’re building a startup or small business, your brand is often one of your most valuable assets. You might be investing time (and money) into your name, logo, packaging, website, social...

7 May 2026
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Who Owns Agency Work Product? IP Issues for Australian Marketing Agencies

Who Owns Agency Work Product? IP Issues for Australian Marketing Agencies

Who owns creative assets, website content and brand materials made by a marketing agency? This guide explains IP ownership rules for Australian agencies

7 May 2026
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Copyright Template: What It Is And How To Use It

Copyright Template: What It Is And How To Use It

If you’re building a business in Australia, chances are you’re creating (or paying others to create) valuable content every week - website copy, product photos, brand videos, training manuals, proposals, designs, software...

7 May 2026
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Trading Name Examples: 10 Real-World Ideas and Legal Tips

Trading Name Examples: 10 Real-World Ideas and Legal Tips

Picking a name is one of the most exciting parts of starting (or refreshing) a business. It’s also one of the easiest places to accidentally create legal headaches - especially when people...

7 May 2026
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Choosing a Domain Name: Legal, Branding and Practical Tips

Choosing a Domain Name: Legal, Branding and Practical Tips

Choosing a domain name can feel like a small task on your startup checklist - right up until you realise it affects almost everything: how customers find you, how they remember you,...

6 May 2026
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Book Copyright in Australia: Practical Guide for Authors and Publishers

Book Copyright in Australia: Practical Guide for Authors and Publishers

If your business writes, publishes, sells, or uses books as part of what you do, understanding copyright for books is one of the most practical legal steps you can take. It helps...

4 May 2026
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Copyleft vs Copyright in Australia: Key Differences and Use Cases

Copyleft vs Copyright in Australia: Key Differences and Use Cases

If you’re building a startup or running a small business in Australia, you’re probably creating (or using) valuable content every day. That might be software code, a website, product manuals, designs, marketing...

4 May 2026
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How To File A Patent In Australia: Step-By-Step Guide

How To File A Patent In Australia: Step-By-Step Guide

If you’re building a new product, piece of tech, or process, you’ve probably had the same thought many founders have: “How do we stop someone else from copying this?” That’s where patents...

2 May 2026
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What Is A Provisional Patent? A Practical Guide For Australian Startups

What Is A Provisional Patent? A Practical Guide For Australian Startups

If you’ve built something new - a product, device, system, or tech solution - you’ve probably had that moment where you think: “This could be big… but how do I stop someone...

1 May 2026
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Can a $1 Clause Make a Contract Binding?

Can a $1 Clause Make a Contract Binding?

Can $1 really make a contract binding? It can help, but only if the agreement is properly drafted and the legal requirements are met.

30 April 2026
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Video Piracy: How Australian Businesses Can Protect and Enforce Rights

Video Piracy: How Australian Businesses Can Protect and Enforce Rights

If you create, sell or publish video content for your business, video piracy can quickly turn from an abstract risk into a real hit to your revenue, your brand, and your customer...

30 April 2026
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IP Assignment Clauses for Australian Training Providers

IP Assignment Clauses for Australian Training Providers

For Australian training providers, an IP assignment clause can decide who owns your course materials, assessments, videos and customised content. This

29 April 2026
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Honest Concurrent Use: When Similar Trademarks Can Coexist In Australia

Honest Concurrent Use: When Similar Trademarks Can Coexist In Australia

When you’re building a startup, your brand name can feel like everything. It’s the thing customers remember, investors repeat, and your team rallies around. So it’s a shock when you find out...

29 April 2026
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Can You Use AI-Generated Art Commercially? Legal Risks for Businesses

Can You Use AI-Generated Art Commercially? Legal Risks for Businesses

AI-generated art is everywhere right now - on product packaging, in social media ads, on websites, inside pitch decks, and even in brand identities. For many small businesses, it’s tempting (and often...

28 April 2026
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Trade Mark Or Trademark For Startups: Does The Spelling Matter In Australia?

Trade Mark Or Trademark For Startups: Does The Spelling Matter In Australia?

If you’re building a startup, your brand is one of your most valuable assets. It’s also one of the easiest things to lose control of if you don’t protect it early. A...

28 April 2026
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Cyber Squatting: How Australian Startups Can Prevent And Respond

Cyber Squatting: How Australian Startups Can Prevent And Respond

Few things feel more frustrating as a business owner than building a brand from scratch, only to discover someone else has registered a domain name that matches (or closely mimics) your business...

27 April 2026
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Domain Names and Brand Protection for Australian Businesses

Domain Names and Brand Protection for Australian Businesses

A domain name can support your brand, but it does not give complete legal protection. This guide explains how Australian businesses should approach domain

25 April 2026
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Are Trademarks International? How Australian Businesses Can Protect Brands Overseas

Are Trademarks International? How Australian Businesses Can Protect Brands Overseas

If your Australian business is starting to grow, it’s natural to look beyond Australia. Maybe you’re getting overseas orders through your website. Maybe you’re talking to international distributors. Or maybe you’re planning...

24 April 2026
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How Long Do Patents Last In Australia?

How Long Do Patents Last In Australia?

If you’re building a product-based business, a new technology, or even a novel process, patents can feel like the “big ticket” form of intellectual property (IP) protection. But one of the first...

23 April 2026
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How To Handle Social Media Copyright Infringement In Australia

How To Handle Social Media Copyright Infringement In Australia

Social media is often where small businesses build momentum fastest. You can launch a new product, share customer stories, run promotions, and build brand recognition with a few posts a week. But...

17 April 2026
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Trade Marks In Paid Search Advertising In Australia: A Practical Guide

Trade Marks In Paid Search Advertising In Australia: A Practical Guide

Paid search can be one of the fastest ways to get in front of customers who are already looking for what you sell. For startups and small businesses, it often feels like...

15 April 2026
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