Detailed Analysis of Intellectual Property Law: Assignment Solution

This document presents a comprehensive solution to an Intellectual Property Law assignment, addressing key concepts such as copyright, trademarks, and designs. The assignment is divided into two parts. Part 1 examines a case involving Nirvana LLC and Marc Jacobs International, focusing on copyright infringement under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the tort of passing off. It analyzes the issues, regulations, and applications of these legal principles, leading to conclusions regarding the rights of Nirvana LLC. Part 2 delves into trademark and design law, evaluating the success of Little Guy Pty Ltd in registering its trademark and addressing issues arising under the Designs Act 2003 (Cth) in a scenario involving Becky and Bottle Butt Pty Ltd. The solution provides detailed analyses of relevant sections of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) and the Designs Act 2003 (Cth), offering insights into the registration process, infringement, and remedies. The document concludes with a bibliography listing relevant articles, books, cases, legislation, and other resources used in the analysis.

Running head: Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual Property Law 1
Contents
PART 1...................................................................................................................................................2
Answer(a)..........................................................................................................................................2
Issue..................................................................................................................................................2
Regulation.........................................................................................................................................2
Application.........................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................2
Answer(b)..........................................................................................................................................3
Issue......................................................................................................................................................3
Regulation.............................................................................................................................................3
Application............................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................4
PART 2...................................................................................................................................................5
Answer(a)..........................................................................................................................................5
Issue..................................................................................................................................................5
Regulation.........................................................................................................................................5
Application.........................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................5
Answer(b)..........................................................................................................................................5
Issue..................................................................................................................................................5
Regulation.........................................................................................................................................5
Application.........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................6
BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................................................7
A Articles /Books/Reports..................................................................................................................7
B Cases...............................................................................................................................................7
C Legislation......................................................................................................................................7
D Treaties...........................................................................................................................................7
E Other...............................................................................................................................................7

Intellectual Property Law 2
PART 1
Answer(a)
Issue
The issue pertains to action taken by Nirvana LLC against Marc Jacobs International against
copying the smiley logo of Nirvana LLC with the lines ‘Don't Come As You Are’. ‘Come as
You Are’ which are the famous lines of one of Nirvana’s most successful songs under the
Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)1.
Regulation
The definition of term Copyright under the Copyright Act 1968(Cth) is the right belonging to
the licensee or owner of an artistic, literary and dramatic work, sound recording or film to
reproduce, execute or deal with the work in any other context. It is the economic right given
to the owner for exclusively executing certain works about the objects protected by it.
Section 22 of Copyright Act 1968(Cth) categorizes copyright into literary works i.e. books ,
poems, scripts and compilations like directories and database, dramatic and musical works ,
artistic works like paintings , photos, maps, plans, sculptures and subject matter like
broadcasts , sound recordings and published editions2 .
As per section 33 of the Copyright Act 1968, the period for protection for literary, musical
and dramatic works is 70 years from the time when the author died. It is applicable from 1 st
January 2005. To be protected, the copyright and subject matter should be realistic and in
material format i.e. in recorded or written format and not just in an abstract form or idea. It
protects the materials created in both electric format and hard copy.
1 Copyright Act 1968(Cth)
2 Legal Services Commission ,The Copyright Act(2019)< https://lawhandbook.sa.gov.au/ch11s01.php>

Intellectual Property Law 3
The maximum penalty for infringement as per section 132(AC) (1)under Copyright Act 1968
is of not more than 550 penalty units or 5 years of imprisonment for individuals and. Notice
of copyright is not needed for gaining copyright rather the owner of the copyright is entitled
to placing a notice. It is required for publishing the first date of publication.
Application
According to the given case, Nirvana LLC can attack Marc Jacobs International and claim
the ownership of the smiley logo as per section 22 and 33 of the Copyright Act 1968. Marc
Jacobs International can be penalized by the Court as per 132(AC)(1) of Copyright Act3.
Conclusion
Nirvana LLC is entitled to claim against Marc Jacobs International as per section 22 and 33
of the Copyright Act 1968. It can also be penalized by the court as per 132(AC)(1) of
Copyright Act.
Whenever the notice of copyright is issued, the onus in the proceedings of infringement is on
the defendant for showing that the copyright does not exist or the person stated in the notice
does not own it.
Answer(b)
Issue
The issue pertains to the actions taken by Nirvana LLC against Marc Jacobs International on
the against copying the smiley logo of Nirvana LLC with the lines ‘Don't Come As You Are'.
‘Come as You Are' which are the famous lines of one of Nirvana's most successful songs
under the tort of passing off.
3 Federal Register of Legislation, Copyright Act 1968(n.d.)<
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042>

Intellectual Property Law 4
Regulation
The tort of passing off prevents a trader from misrepresentation of the services or products as
being the product or services of the other person. It also stops the traders from holding out
their products or services as having some relation with other when it is unfair as held in Star
Industries Co Ltd v Yap Kwee Kor4 . There are three components which are often referred to
as Classic Trinity in the occurrence of tort as per Reckitt & Colman Products Ltd v Borden
Inc5 and Erven Warnink v. Townend & Sons Ltd6. These are goodwill, misrepresentation and
damage to goodwill.
The plaintiff has the onus of proving goodwill in its products or services, brand, mark, the
get-up of goods and the things standing by themselves as held in Reddaway vs Banham 7The
plaintiff has the onus of proving a false representation of his products or services. There must
also be some connection between the goods and services of plaintiff and defendant. There
must be some confusion and deception by the common public. The court must decide the
similarity of services, goods and marks. The criteria would be an auditory, graphic and
conceptual resemblance. Lastly, there must be some loss or divergence in trade or reduction
in goodwill. The damage to goodwill must be foreseeable 8.
The equitable remedies in a passing-off action are interim and final injunctions as held by
Calvin Klein Inc. USA v. International Apparel Syndicate9, damages or account of profits and
delivery up or destruction orders.
4 [1976] 2 FSR 256 at 269
5 [1990] 1 All ER 873
6 [1979] AC 731
7 [1896]AC 199
8 William Roberts Lawyers, The safety net that catches unregistered trademarks - the old "tort of passing off"
and misleading and deceptive (2019)<
https://www.williamroberts.com.au/News-and-Resources/News/Articles/The-Safety-Net-That-Catches-
Unregistered-Trademarks>
9 [1996] PTC 16

Intellectual Property Law 5
Application
In the context of this case, Marc Jacobs International is held liable for the misrepresentation
of the smiley logo of Nirvana LLC as per the tort of passing off. It can be sued by Nirvana
LLC and the court has the power to grant interim and final injunctions, delivery up or
destruction orders and damages or account of profits.
Conclusion
Marc Jacobs International can be penalized by the Court for misrepresenting the smiley logo
of Nirvana LLC and it can be interim or final injunctions. It can be ordered to pay
compensation for the damages or account of profits and delivery up or destruction orders.

Intellectual Property Law 6
PART 2
Answer(a)
Issue
The issue is related to the success of Little Guy Pty Ltd in registering it is Rear Door
‘Trademark as Becky has already registered a trademark Reer Deer’ of her bottle opener ‘on
1st January 2016.
Regulation
Section 17 of the Trade Marks Act 1995(Cth) 10define trademark as a sign utilized or intended
to be utilized for differentiating products or services dealt with or provided during trade by a
person from the products or services provided or dealt with another person11. As per section
41, the application for registration of a trademark can be rejected if the trademark is not
capable of differentiating the products and services of the applicant in the context of which
the trademark is sought to be registered from the products and services of another person.
As per section 43 ‘Trade Mark likely to deceive or cause confusion ‘ of Trade Mark Act
1995, the application of registration of a trademark can be rejected if there is some relation
amongst the trademark which is to be registered and trademark already registered. There is a
possibility of causing deception or confusion amongst the two. As per section 44, there can
be a rejection of the registration of a trademark if a similar trademark is registered by another
person in respect of similar goods or services12.
10 Trade Marks Act 1995(Cth)
11ICLG.com, Australia: Trade Marks 2019(26 April 2019)< https://iclg.com/practice-areas/trade-marks-laws-
and-regulations/australia>
12 Federal Register of Legislation, Trade Marks Act 1995 (n.d.)<
https://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/0/33239E03F6131F5BCA2572AA0011
CC87/$file/TradeMarks1995_WD02.pdf>

Intellectual Property Law 7
Application
So in respect of this case, Little Guy can succeed in registering its trademark as the words
Reer Deer and Reer Door are dissimilar. Becky and Little Guy are not providing similar
goods and services.
Conclusion
Little Guy can succeed in registering its trade mark because of the dissimilarity in the goods
and services provided by both the parties.
Answer(b)
Issue
The issue pertains to issues arising under the Designs Act 2003(Cth)13 in this regard.
Regulation
A design can be defined as the overall appearance of the goods resulting from its one or more
visual attributes. These attributes shape, pattern, configuration, ornamentation and
configuration of the goods but are not extended to their feel or material used as held in
Macrae Knitting Mills Ltd v Lowes Ltd 14.
Section 15 says that the design should be new and different. Design is different if it is
dissimilar to the design forming part of the prior art base. A person infringes a registered
design if a person sells, imports, hires or manufactures the product for trade or business
representing design identical or similar to the overall impression to the registered design or
13 Designs Act 2003(Cth)
14 [1936] 55 CLR 725

Intellectual Property Law 8
authenticates the third party to perform such acts. The protection of designs is for 10 years
from the date on which the application was lodged for registration.
As per section 75 of Design Act 2003 (Cth), the court may grant an injunction and at per the
choice of the plaintiff either damages or account of profits15.
Application
Bottle Butt Pty Ltd is selling similar products upon their import in Australia, so it has
infringed the registered design. The court may grant an injunction and either damage or
account for profits to Becky as per section 75 of Design Act(Cth).
Conclusion
Becky can sue Bottle Butt Pty Ltd under section 75 of Design Act(Cth). The court can either
award damages or account for profits and injunction in this regard.
15 Lawpath Blog, What is the Designs Act(12 April 2016)< https://lawpath.com.au/blog/what-is-the-designs-act>

Intellectual Property Law 9
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A Articles /Books/Reports
B Cases
Star Industries Co Ltd v Yap Kwee Kor[1976] 2 FSR 256 at 269
Reckitt & Colman Products Ltd v Borden Inc [1990] 1 All ER 873
Erven Warnink v. Townend & Sons Ltd [1979] AC 731
Reddaway vs Banham [1896]AC 199
Calvin Klein Inc. USA v. International Apparel Syndicate[1996] PTC 16
Macrae Knitting Mills Ltd v Lowes Ltd [1936] 55 CLR 725
C Legislation
Copyright Act 1968(Cth)
Trade Marks Act 1995(Cth)
Designs Act 2003(Cth)
D Treaties
E Other
Legal Services Commission, The Copyright Act(2019)<
https://lawhandbook.sa.gov.au/ch11s01.php>
Federal Register of Legislation, Copyright Act 1968(n.d.)<
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042>

Intellectual Property Law
10
William Roberts Lawyers, The safety net that catches unregistered trademarks - the old "tort
of passing off" and misleading and deceptive (2019)<
https://www.williamroberts.com.au/News-and-Resources/News/Articles/The-Safety-Net-
That-Catches-Unregistered-Trademarks>
ICLG.com, Australia: Trade Marks 2019(26 April 2019)<
https://iclg.com/practice-areas/trade-marks-laws-and-regulations/australia>
Federal Register of Legislation, Trade Marks Act 1995 (n.d.)<
https://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/0/33239E03F6131F5
BCA2572AA0011CC87/$file/TradeMarks1995_WD02.pdf>
Lawpath Blog, What is the Designs Act(12 April 2016)< https://lawpath.com.au/blog/what-is-
the-designs-act>