John Lao

John is an intellectual property litigator with experience across the full range of intellectual property rights, including trade marks, designs, patents, copyright and confidential information, as well as misleading and deceptive conduct and passing off matters. John has particular experience in patent, trade mark and design disputes in the pharmaceutical and consumer products sectors.

John’s litigation experience includes preparation of technical expert evidence, interlocutory disputes, urgent interlocutory injunctions (on both the applicant and respondent side), mediation and trial proceedings. 

In addition to his litigious experience, John also advises clients in respect of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters, including the protection and enforcement of their intellectual property rights. He has also worked extensively on multi-jurisdictional trade mark prosecutions and in office proceedings, which provides him with a unique front and back end perspective to litigation

John combines his legal skills and experience with his commerce background to consider and develop effective and creative strategies to achieve the most commercially favourable outcomes for his clients.

John’s experience includes:

• acting for a multinational pharmaceutical company in patent litigation relating to a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma
• acting for Apotex in patent litigation relating to the generic launch of a drug
• acting for an Australian clothing company against a well-known fashion label in Federal Court proceedings regarding registered design infringement
• acting as the lead associate in Federal Court proceedings for an Australian fashion label in its trade mark infringement claim against a swimwear company
• acting for an Australian kitchenware company against an international tableware and kitchenware manufacturer in Federal Court proceedings regarding allegations of misleading and deceptive conduct and registered design infringement

Background

John completed his Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) at the University of Melbourne. He also holds a Bachelor of Accounting from the University of South Australia.

John has previously worked at a specialist boutique intellectual property law firm and in the intellectual property team of a large international law firm.