Patent offices in the UK and Europe, UKIPO and EPO have rejected Stephen Thaler's DABUS application naming artificial intelligence as inventors. Both patent offices found that DABUS, being a machine, could hold no rights and could not transfer any rights as the inventor to the applicant as successor ...

This Insight examines the consequences of a patent dispute concerning a patent for a 'fence plinth'. This dispute highlights some of the key elements of any patent dispute such as how meaning of ordinary terms in the patent must be understood in the context of the whole patent specification. ...

A recent Federal Court decision imposed significant pecuniary penalties on a franchisor as well as its sole director and national franchising manager for unfair dealings with franchisees ...

The Full Federal Court has overturned the trial decision in Crown Resorts Limited v Zantran Pty Limited [2020] FCAFC 1, and cast further light on the enforceability of employee confidentiality agreements in the context of civil litigation. ...

The Productivity Commission has released its draft report on resources sector regulation and, if implemented, its recommendations have important implications for the sector. In particular, the report includes a number of recommendations focused on reducing delays in project assessment and approval, ...

In this update we summarise the decision of the AEMC on the calculation of transmission loss factors. ...

Papua New Guinea has proposed a new regime for domestic and international arbitrations: the Arbitration Bill 2019. If enacted, it has the potential to provide greater certainty for arbitrations in PNG, and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards within PNG. ...

Upcoming changes to Vietnam's labour law include such significant steps as more flexibility in the renewal and termination of labour contracts; and for the first time, the right of employees to establish and join independent labour unions. Although the Labour Code 2019 will not take effect until 1 January 2021, employers should start looking ahead and consider how the upcoming changes will impact their businesses and management of their workforce. ...

For project finance deals, Allens was ranked top legal advisor in Australia and New Zealand, for both deal value and volume, in Inframation's league tables. For the second year running, the firm ...

The Court, in the biggest merger litigation in Australia in 10 years, found against the ACCC and held that the merger would not have the likely effect of substantially lessening competition. Fiona ...