Playcorp

Coffee pot icon, Bodum, had always aggressively defended its intellectual property by acting against manufacturers of goods that resembled its Chambord coffee plungers. But when Bodum questioned the legitimacy of a Playcorp product, Corrs went in hard and fast with the launch of proceedings.

Proceedings were based on the argument that Bodum’s rights lay in the heavy branding of its coffee pots, not any distinctiveness of shape.

Playcorp’s convincing win is likely to have implications for competition in the Australian marketplace where Bodum had successfully challenged manufacturers in the past.

Defending Aussie icons

When iconic surfwear manufacturers and retailers Billabong and Quiksilver discovered their brands were being compromised, they asked Corrs Chambers Westgarth to help defend their intellectual property (IP) rights.

The pair alleged that importer and retailer Paul’s Warehouse had, among other offences, imported and sold counterfeit clothing bearing artistic works protected by copyright without authorisation, and reproduced stylised trademarks in its brochures and advertising materials in promoting those products.

In an evidence-intensive matter, the pair coordinated proof of creation and ownership of artworks and designs from around the world to ensure the Australian Federal Court could address the full scope of infringements. 

The co-ordination paid off -- The Court gave judgement in Billabong and Quiksilver’s favour on each of their claims in a summary judgment application.  Through this, the Corrs team obtained a wide-ranging decision from the Court, leaving no doubt as to the strength of Billabong’s and Quicksilver’s IP rights and the scope of protection afforded by those rights.