Table of Contents

Preface About the authors Table of Australian case citations Table of other case citations Table of other abbreviations Table of cases Table of statutes 1 The Roles of the Trade Mark System1.1 Introduction 1.2 Justifications for trade mark protection 1.3 The role of trade mark registration 1.4 Origins and sources 2 Applying to Register a Trade Mark: Examination and Opposition Proceedings 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Requirements for making an application 2.3 Pre-examination procedures 2.4 Amending or withdrawing an application 2.5 International applications under the Madrid Protocol 2.6 Examination procedures 2.7 Opposition proceedings 2.8 Appeals to the court and other tribunals 3 Signs and Their Representation 3.1 Introduction3.2 The definition of a trade mark 3.3 The requirement of graphic representation 4 Distinctiveness4.1 Introduction 4.2 The legislative regime 4.3 Determining where marks fall on the continuum of distinctive character: general principles in assessing ‘inherent adaptation to distinguish’ 4.4 Examples of the first step of the distinctiveness test in application 4.5 Factual distinctiveness 4.6 Rethinking distinctiveness and functionality 5 Other Grounds of Rejection and Opposition Not Involving Conflicts with Earlier Marks 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Prohibited and prescribed signs 5.3 Scandalous marks 5.4 Marks whose use would be contrary to law 5.5 Deceptive or confusing connotations 5.6 No intent to use 5.7 Application made in bad faith, and the relationship with ‘no intent to use’ 5.8 Acceptance based on false information 5.9 Procedural error: application or other document amended Contrary to the Act 5.10 Procedural error: application by the wrong party (the applicant is not the ‘owner’) 6 Conflicts with Earlier Registered Marks or Applications for Registration 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Section 44 and reg 4.15A: an overview 6.3 Similarity of marks 6.4 Similarity of goods/services 6.5 Exceptions to the normal operation of s 44 7 Conflicts with Earlier Marks—Other Grounds of Opposition 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Conflict with a mark that has acquired a reputation in Australia 7.3 Use contrary to law 7.4 Misleading or confusing connotations 7.5 Applicant not the owner 7.6 Rethinking the relationship between ss 60, 42(b), 43 and 58 7.7 Application made in bad faith 8 Overcoming Conflicts with Earlier Marks 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Obtaining consent 8.3 The exceptions: prior continuous use, honest concurrent use, and ‘other circumstances’8.4 Challenging the validity of the earlier mark 9 The Act of Registration, and Amending, Revoking and Cancelling Registration 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Registration and renewal 9.3 Amendment, cancellation and revocation of registered marks by the Registrar 9.4 Rectification of the Register following a court order 10 Non-Use of Registered Marks10.1 Introduction 10.2 Overview of Part 9 and procedural matters 10.3 Use of a registered mark 10.4 Section 92(4)(a): particular issues 10.5 Section 92(4)(b): obstacles to use 10.6 What can the Registrar or court decide? 10.7 Rethinking non-use: options for reforming the Act 11 Infringement and Defences 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The harms of trade mark law 11.3 Section 120 11.4 Section 121 11.5 The s 122 defences 11.6 The prior use defence 11.7 Exhaustion of rights and parallel importation (or the scope of trade mark use reconsidered) 12 Passing Off and Consumer Protection12.1 Introduction 12.2 General principles 12.3 Establishing reputation 12.4 Misrepresentation 12.5 Damage 12.6 Concluding comments 13 Revisiting the Relationship between Passing Off and the Consumer Protection Regime 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Doctrinal differences 13.3 Protecting traders or consumers? 13.4 The alternative: the statutory prohibition as a regulatory instrument 14 Extended Passing Off, Special Forms of Trade Marks and Related Legal Regimes 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Collective goodwill and collective rights 14.3 Special protection for ‘unused’ marks 14.4 Domain names 14.5 Special events legislation and ambush marketing 15 Exploitation of Trade Marks 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Assignments 15.3 Licensing 15.4 Securities 15.5 Recording of interests, dealing with encumbered marks, and the impact of the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) 15.6 Restrictions on exploitation: deception and non-use 15.7 Restrictions on exploitation: competition considerations 15.8 Parallel importation revisited: competition concerns and optionsfor reform 15.9 Franchising: special issues 16 Litigation and Remedies16.1 Introduction 16.2 The decision to litigate 16.3 Threats actions 16.4 Jurisdiction 16.5 Acquiring and preserving evidence 16.6 Interlocutory injunctions 16.7 Final remedies in civil actions 16.8 Bars to relief 16.9 Criminal liability 16.10 Notice to Customs Index

About the Author

Robert Burrell, Head of School, Head of Law Department, Professor of Law, The University of Sheffield. Michael Handler, Associate Dean (Education), Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, The University of New South Wales.