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Intellectual Property Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on intellectual property for new zealand businesses.
How To Apply For A Patent In New Zealand: Step-By-Step Guide
If you’ve built a new product, developed a clever process, or created a piece of technology that gives your business an edge, it’s normal to start asking: “How do we stop others...
21 April 2026
How To Add Music To Instagram Reels Without Copyright Issues
If you’re using Instagram Reels to promote your products, show behind-the-scenes content, or run ads, adding music can be the difference between a scroll-past and a sale. But for Australian businesses, music...
21 April 2026
Do Authors In New Zealand Need To Register Copyright For A Book?
If you’re writing a book as part of your business (or even building a business around your book), it’s normal to wonder how you actually protect what you’ve created. Maybe you’re planning...
31 March 2026
Copyright Vs Trade Mark Protection For Logos In New Zealand
You’ve put time (and money) into your logo. It’s on your website, packaging, invoices, socials, uniforms - it’s how customers recognise you. So it’s a bit of a shock when you spot...
25 March 2026
Copyright Protection For Artists In New Zealand
If you’re an artist who also runs a business (whether that’s selling originals, taking commissions, licensing designs, or creating content online), copyright can be one of your most valuable business assets. And...
25 March 2026
Copyright Parody In New Zealand: What Creators Can And Can’t Do
If you run a small business that creates content (marketing videos, social posts, podcasts, merch, or even a meme-heavy email campaign), you’ve probably wondered where the legal line sits with parody. Parody...
25 March 2026Copyright Notice In New Zealand: What To Include And Where To Put It
If you run a small business, chances are you’re creating content all the time - a website, product photos, blog posts, social media graphics, training materials, packaging copy, client reports, or even...
25 March 2026
Copyright Lawyers In New Zealand: Protecting Your IP, Content And Brand Assets
If you run a small business, chances are you’re creating value every day through your brand, your website, your marketing content, your designs, and the way you present your products or services....
24 March 2026
Copyright Cost In New Zealand: Protecting And Using Copyright In Business
If you run a small business, you’ve probably created (or paid someone to create) something valuable: a logo, website copy, product photos, a course, a menu, software, or marketing content. That’s where...
24 March 2026
Categories Of Intellectual Property Rights In New Zealand
If you’re building a small business, your “assets” aren’t just your stock, equipment, or cashflow. Often, the real value sits in the things you can’t physically touch: your brand name, logo, designs,...
15 March 2026
Can You Be Sued For Using Someone Else’s Photo Without Permission?
If you run a small business, it’s tempting to grab a great image you’ve seen online and use it for your website, Instagram, ads or packaging. But using someone else’s photo without...
12 March 2026
Can I Ignore PicRights? Image Copyright Claims In NZ
You’re busy running your business, keeping customers happy, and trying to get your marketing out the door. Then an email lands in your inbox claiming you’ve used a copyrighted image online and...
11 March 2026
Can A Newspaper Use Your Photo Without Permission In New Zealand?
You’ve finally got the perfect image for your business - maybe it’s a photo of your new premises, your team at an event, or a product shot that’s done the rounds on...
9 March 2026Are Pinterest Images Copyright Free In New Zealand?
If you run a small business, Pinterest can feel like a goldmine. It’s full of beautiful product shots, templates, infographics, recipes, mood boards, logos, packaging ideas and marketing inspiration. But there’s a...
4 March 2026What The ® Symbol Means For Your NZ Business (And When To Use It)
If you’ve ever seen a brand name followed by a small circle with an “R” inside it, you’ve seen the ® symbol (also called the registered trade mark symbol). It looks simple,...
26 February 2026
Copyright In New Zealand: Protecting Your Business Content And IP
If you run a business, you’re probably creating content every week without even realising it. Your website copy, product photos, social posts, training materials, proposal templates, graphics, videos, blog articles, software, and...
19 February 2026Copyright In New Zealand: A Practical Guide
If you run a small business or you’re building a startup, chances are you’re creating things every day - website copy, social media content, product photos, course materials, software, proposals, branding assets,...
19 February 2026
How To Choose An IP Lawyer In Auckland
If you're building a business, your ideas, brand, content and product design can become some of your most valuable assets. But IP (intellectual property) is also one of the easiest areas to...
10 February 2026What Is A Trademark In New Zealand?
If you're building a brand in New Zealand, you've probably asked yourself what a trademark is, and whether you actually need one. It's a smart question. Your name, logo, slogan, or other...
9 February 2026
Fair Trading Act (s 9) And Passing Off: Protect Your Business From Deception
When you've put time (and money) into building your brand, the last thing you need is a competitor riding on your reputation. This is where passing off becomes a big deal for...
4 February 2026
How To Copyright A Logo In New Zealand
Your logo is often the first thing customers notice about your business. It's on your website, packaging, invoices, uniforms, social media - and ideally, it becomes the visual shortcut people associate with...
1 February 2026How To Register A Trade Mark In New Zealand
When you’re building a small business, your brand can become one of your most valuable assets. Your name, logo, tagline, packaging, and other distinctive branding cues customers recognise can take months (or...
27 January 2026
All Rights Reserved Meaning In New Zealand: What It Covers And When To Use It
If you run a small business, you’ve probably seen “all rights reserved” at the bottom of websites, on social media graphics, inside eBooks, or on product packaging. It looks official (and it...
26 January 2026
What “All Rights Reserved” Means In New Zealand Copyright
If you run a small business, chances are you’ve seen (or copied and pasted) the phrase “all rights reserved” onto a website footer, a brochure, a quote template, or a product label....
25 January 2026
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