Laura is an experienced litigator, with a strong record and reputation in civil (particularly intellectual property and commercial) disputes, and a background in Treaty of Waitangi law.
Laura is a well regarded ‘safe pair of hands’ on a wide range of litigation matters. She has acted as counsel across a wide range of IP and other disputes, including in the High Court, all IPONZ matters and other contentious matters. She is a highly sought after and experienced junior counsel on substantial IP, commercial, and public law cases, including in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Laura has worked on the following types of cases, as lead or junior counsel, or both:
• IP cases. IP (particularly infringement) cases are generally large and complex, involving significant commercial assets.
o Trade mark infringement advice, and litigation as necessary including -involving ownership questions, Māori IP, non-traditional trade marks, validity and distinctiveness issues.
o Breach of the Fair Trading Act and passing off advice, and litigation as necessary.
o Trade mark registrability advice and prosecution of difficult files, including hearings as necessary.
o Significant experience in trade mark oppositions, revocation and invalidity actions, including High Court appeals.
o Patent infringement advice and litigation as necessary.
o Patent opposition matters, including managing the day-to-day progress of a large suite of patent oppositions between major product manufacturers.
o Copyright subsistence and infringement advice, and litigation as necessary.
o Plant variety rights contentious issues.
o Issues involving breach of confidential information.
• Technology disputes, including cases involving significant technology development contracts before the High Court.
• General contractual disputes, including those resolved by arbitration.
• Public law cases – including as junior counsel on cases involving bill of rights, ACC, and Māori law. These cases have involved significant review of public agency decision making, as against fundamental rights and the agencies’ governing legislation.
• Waitangi Tribunal inquiries – as lead and junior counsel acting for claimants on a range of contemporary and historical inquiries.
These are some of the cases that Laura has acted on for which there is a publically available resolution:
Stabicraft Marine Limited v Sea King Boats Limited (2022) 169 IPR 182, [2022] NZHC 2447 – as junior counsel, acting for the defendants in relation to a successful interlocutory application for the release of an item detained by Customs under the Copyright Act.
NBA Properties, Inc v Monster Energy Company [2020] NZIPOTM 1 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition, including obtaining increased costs (written submissions only).
Rapid Labels Ltd v Excel Digital Ltd [2019] NZHC 2522 – as junior counsel, acting for the plaintiff in an interlocutory application on a trade mark infringement and breach of the Fair Trading Act complaint.
Tracklok Ltd v T & R Interior Systems Ltd [2019] NZHC 1331 – as junior counsel, acting for the defendant in an interlocutory application on a copyright and breach of confidential information claim.
International Consolidated Business Pty Ltd v S C Johnson & Son Inc [2019] NZCA 61, 144 IPR 171, [2019] 3 NZLR 318 – as junior counsel, in relation to an appeal focussed on novel areas of trade mark law about ownership and relevant dates.
Beiersdorf AG v Unilever Plc [2019] NZHC 44 and Beiersdorf AG v Unilever plc [2017] NZIPOTM 18 – as counsel on an IPONZ decision and appeal acting for the applicant for the BLACK & WHITE trade mark.
Sea World LLC v Sea World Management Pty Ltd [2018] NZHC 1995 – as counsel on a trade mark opposition appeal.
Re New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd [2018] NZIPOTM 20 – a trade mark registrability decision.
Target Australia Pty Ltd v Target New Zealand Ltd [2018] NZIPOTM 16, 145 IPR 569 – acting for the applicant in six trade mark revocations.
GD Express Carrier Berhad v Federal Express Corporation [2017] NZIPOTM 31 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
ResMed Ltd v Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd [2017] NZIPOPAT 9 and Resmed Ltd v Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd [2016] NZIPOPAT 21 – as junior counsel, in a series of procedural disputes in relation to a large number of patent opposition and patent infringement cases.
Liang v Condon [2017] NZIPOTM 7 – acting for the owner in a revocation action (hearing only).
North Face Apparel Corporation v Sanyang Industry Company Ltd [2014] NZCA 398 and The North Face Apparel Corp v Sanyang Industry Co Ltd [2012] NZHC 2259 – as junior counsel in a trade mark opposition focussing on novel questions of trademark ownership.
Ceres Enterprises Ltd v William Aitken & Company Ltd [2014] NZIPOTM 34 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
Ecolab USA Inc. v Johnson & Johnson [2014] NZIPOTM 29 - acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
Coca-Cola Company v Frucor Soft Drinks Ltd [2013] NZHC 3282, 104 IPR 432 – as junior counsel for the plaintiff in a trademark infringement, breach of the Fair Trading Act and passing off claim relating to a shape trade mark.
Laura is an experienced litigator, with a strong record and reputation in civil (particularly intellectual property and commercial) disputes, and a background in Treaty of Waitangi law.
Laura is a well regarded ‘safe pair of hands’ on a wide range of litigation matters. She has acted as counsel across a wide range of IP and other disputes, including in the High Court, all IPONZ matters and other contentious matters. She is a highly sought after and experienced junior counsel on substantial IP, commercial, and public law cases, including in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Laura has worked on the following types of cases, as lead or junior counsel, or both:
• IP cases. IP (particularly infringement) cases are generally large and complex, involving significant commercial assets.
o Trade mark infringement advice, and litigation as necessary including -involving ownership questions, Māori IP, non-traditional trade marks, validity and distinctiveness issues.
o Breach of the Fair Trading Act and passing off advice, and litigation as necessary.
o Trade mark registrability advice and prosecution of difficult files, including hearings as necessary.
o Significant experience in trade mark oppositions, revocation and invalidity actions, including High Court appeals.
o Patent infringement advice and litigation as necessary.
o Patent opposition matters, including managing the day-to-day progress of a large suite of patent oppositions between major product manufacturers.
o Copyright subsistence and infringement advice, and litigation as necessary.
o Plant variety rights contentious issues.
o Issues involving breach of confidential information.
• Technology disputes, including cases involving significant technology development contracts before the High Court.
• General contractual disputes, including those resolved by arbitration.
• Public law cases – including as junior counsel on cases involving bill of rights, ACC, and Māori law. These cases have involved significant review of public agency decision making, as against fundamental rights and the agencies’ governing legislation.
• Waitangi Tribunal inquiries – as lead and junior counsel acting for claimants on a range of contemporary and historical inquiries.
These are some of the cases that Laura has acted on for which there is a publically available resolution:
Stabicraft Marine Limited v Sea King Boats Limited (2022) 169 IPR 182, [2022] NZHC 2447 – as junior counsel, acting for the defendants in relation to a successful interlocutory application for the release of an item detained by Customs under the Copyright Act.
NBA Properties, Inc v Monster Energy Company [2020] NZIPOTM 1 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition, including obtaining increased costs (written submissions only).
Rapid Labels Ltd v Excel Digital Ltd [2019] NZHC 2522 – as junior counsel, acting for the plaintiff in an interlocutory application on a trade mark infringement and breach of the Fair Trading Act complaint.
Tracklok Ltd v T & R Interior Systems Ltd [2019] NZHC 1331 – as junior counsel, acting for the defendant in an interlocutory application on a copyright and breach of confidential information claim.
International Consolidated Business Pty Ltd v S C Johnson & Son Inc [2019] NZCA 61, 144 IPR 171, [2019] 3 NZLR 318 – as junior counsel, in relation to an appeal focussed on novel areas of trade mark law about ownership and relevant dates.
Beiersdorf AG v Unilever Plc [2019] NZHC 44 and Beiersdorf AG v Unilever plc [2017] NZIPOTM 18 – as counsel on an IPONZ decision and appeal acting for the applicant for the BLACK & WHITE trade mark.
Sea World LLC v Sea World Management Pty Ltd [2018] NZHC 1995 – as counsel on a trade mark opposition appeal.
Re New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd [2018] NZIPOTM 20 – a trade mark registrability decision.
Target Australia Pty Ltd v Target New Zealand Ltd [2018] NZIPOTM 16, 145 IPR 569 – acting for the applicant in six trade mark revocations.
GD Express Carrier Berhad v Federal Express Corporation [2017] NZIPOTM 31 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
ResMed Ltd v Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd [2017] NZIPOPAT 9 and Resmed Ltd v Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd [2016] NZIPOPAT 21 – as junior counsel, in a series of procedural disputes in relation to a large number of patent opposition and patent infringement cases.
Liang v Condon [2017] NZIPOTM 7 – acting for the owner in a revocation action (hearing only).
North Face Apparel Corporation v Sanyang Industry Company Ltd [2014] NZCA 398 and The North Face Apparel Corp v Sanyang Industry Co Ltd [2012] NZHC 2259 – as junior counsel in a trade mark opposition focussing on novel questions of trademark ownership.
Ceres Enterprises Ltd v William Aitken & Company Ltd [2014] NZIPOTM 34 – acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
Ecolab USA Inc. v Johnson & Johnson [2014] NZIPOTM 29 - acting for the applicant in a trade mark opposition.
Coca-Cola Company v Frucor Soft Drinks Ltd [2013] NZHC 3282, 104 IPR 432 – as junior counsel for the plaintiff in a trademark infringement, breach of the Fair Trading Act and passing off claim relating to a shape trade mark.
