A registered trade mark in Australia is a legally protected symbol, word, or phrase that identifies and distinguishes the goods or services of one company from those of others. A trade mark is an important tool for building and protecting the goodwill that a business builds up over time. Here we outline some of the benefits of a registered trade mark. Read More
The Bank of Mum and Dad refers to parental funding. It’s common for parents to want to help their children get a head-start in life, if possible, by advancing money for them to buy their first home. This article examines the risks to the parents from a property law and a family law perspective. Read More
The law in trusts, equity and probate is constantly developing, with new court decisions handed down every month. The principles arising from recent decisions in the second half of 2022 touch on issues ranging from the disposal of a body to the procedure for remotely making a Will. A snapshot of just some of these cases and their key principles is outlined below. We appreciate that not all of these cases will be of interest to everyone - but this is what our estate litigation team thrives on! Read More
Many Australians are aware of last year’s US Supreme Court decision to overturn the landmark 1973 abortion case Roe v Wade and the affirming case of Casey v Planned Parenthood decided in 1992. When Roe v Wade was decided, it sent ripples across the globe and widely influenced changes to reproductive freedoms. Naturally, as a result, people are turning their attention to what impact the overturning of Roe v Wade might have on abortion rights locally. What is the current abortion law in Australia? Read More
Retail leasing in Victoria is governed by the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Act). The Act sets out the minimum standards that both you and your landlord must follow in retail leasing relationships. The Act only covers businesses that are used mainly for the sale of goods and/or services in the retail sector. To be covered under the Act, the rent that you pay must be less than $1 million a year. Read More
After our first real year out of lockdown, the general feeling is that this is going to be a Christmas to let your hair down. And what better way to do it than at the end-of-year party. But, we don’t all celebrate Christmas. So, in the interests of inclusivity, instead of writing the usual seasonal article cautioning against the excesses of the yearly ritual of the office Christmas party, we thought, there had to be another way. So - we bring you the message through the traditions of Festivus, a little-known December holiday, but one that is dearly cherished by all those who celebrate it. This article focuses on three of the key Festivus traditions - Festivus Dinner, the Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength. Read More