Ian Horak KC

• Commercial Law
• Competition
• Intellectual Property
• Media, Entertainment & Broadcast
• Public Law

Ian practices exclusively in intellectual property law regularly appearing at the Federal Court of Australia and the Australian Patent and Trade Marks Office and giving advice in proceedings concerning patents, trade marks, passing off, trade practices, copyright, designs and confidential information.

Ian is listed in Doyle’s Legal Guide to Intellectual Property Barristers as a leading counsel.  He is also recommended in World Trade Mark Review (WTR) 1000 recommended barristers.

Ian accepts briefs in all areas of intellectual property law for trials, appeals, interlocutory applications and drafting of Court documents.  Ian has acted for clients in a diverse range of industries including the pharmaceutical (for generic and innovator companies), chemical processing, medical, manufacturing and e-commerce industries.  He is experienced in dealing with technical subject matter such as complex pharmaceuticals, chemistry, chemical processing, methods of medical treatment, engineering and computer software.

Ian has appeared in a number of cases involving patents, and trade marks and general commercial intellectual property disputes at first instance and on appeal including in a number of seminar cases on patents and trade marks such as AstraZeneca AB v Watson Pty Ltd in the High Court and RPL Central and Chemist Warehouse v Direct Chemist Outlet in the Full Federal Court.

Ian is also a Senior Fellow at Monash University’s Law School where he is the Chief Examiner and lecturer in postgraduate subjects on intellectual property and trade mark practice. Ian is also a member of the Monash University Intellectual Property Advisory Board.

Ian is a co-author of Shanahan’s, Australian Trade Marks Law and Passing Off (5th and 6th edition). He is also past Chairperson of the Victorian branch of the Intellectual Property Society (IPSANZ) and a member of its Transnational Committees of Management. He is also a member of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys (IPTA).

A selected list of reported cases from 2010 onwards is provided below:

Patents

AstraZeneca AB v Watson Pharma Pty Ltd [2015] HCA 30; [2014] FCAFC 99]; [2013] FCA 560 (Patent – pharmaceutical dosage patent – lack of inventive step).

Australian Mud Company Pty Ltd v Coretell Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 44; [2017] FCAFC 54 (Full Court Appeal – Patents – Damages unjustified threats – secret use).

Ronneby Road Pty Ltd v ESCO Corporation [2016] FCA 711 (Patent appeal – shroud for mining equipment – prior use – inutility)

NSL Engineering Pte Ltd v Australian Mobile Mining Equipment Systems and Accessories Pty Limited [2016] FCA 614; [2016] FCA 1187 (Patent infringement – mechanical device – rotating tipper)

Load and Move Pty. Ltd. v Australian Mobile Mining Equipment Systems and Accessories Pty. Limited [2017] APO 23

Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation and Meat & Livestock Australia Limited v Agriculture Victoria Services Pty Limited [2016] APO 32

Thomas Laubenthal v Howmedica Osteonics Corp [2016] APO 18

General Electric Company v Ausrail Technologies Pty Ltd [2015] APO 67

Gordagen Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [2014] FCA 1058

ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company v Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. [2015] APO 39; [2016] APO 79.

RPL Central Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents [2015] FCAFC 177; [2013] FCA 871 (Patents – computer implemented inventions)

Deb Worldwide Healthcare, Inc v Gojo Industries [2015] APO 20 (Patent – fomable composition)

Outotec Pty Ltd v Xstrata Technology Pty Ltd and Yunnan Metallurgical Group [2014] APO 48 (Patent – metal processing)

Nufarm Australia Ltd v Monsanto Technology LLC [2013] APO 66 (Patent – herbicidal composition)

Ipsen Pharma S.A.S v Allergan, Inc [2012] APO 21; [2013] APO 23 (Patent – Oppositions)

Australian Postal Corporation v David John Holton [2010] APO 22; [2016] APO 65 (Patent oppositions)

Abbott GMBH & Co. KG v Apotex Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] FCA 940 (Pharmaceutical patent litigation – Federal Court trial)

Trade marks, Passing off, Copyright and General Commercial

Monster Energy Company v Lo Chun-Hua 2017 ATMO 33

Australian Health Industry Co. Pty Ltd v VVS Australia Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 322

Flexopack S.A. Plastics Industry v Flexopack Australia Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 235

Bickfords Trading Pty Ltd v Chia Limited 2016 ATMO 90

Verrocchi v Direct Chemist Outlet Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 234

Dox-al Australia Pty Ltd v Dox-al Italia S.P.A 2015 ATMO 119

Courier Luggage Pty Ltd v Wenger SA Inc 2015 ATMO 10 (Trade mark – opposition)

Jack Gance and Mario Verrocchi v Ian Tauman 2015 ATMO 118

B & V Martin Holdings Pty Ltd v Wenger S.A 2015 ATMO 87

Arche SAS v Daniel Bartholomew Jones 2015 ATMO 75

Barossa Valley Estate Pty Ltd v Australian Vintage Limited 2015 ATMO 70

Target Australia Pty Ltd v Catchoftheday.com.au Pty Ltd 2015 ATMO 54

Bose Corporation v Heino Buse MX Import GmbH [2014] ATMO 110 (Trade mark – Opposition)

Louis Vuitton Malletier v Sonya Valentine Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 933

Accolade Wines Australia Ltd & ors v Delegate’s Wine Estate Limited 2014 ATMO 76 (Trade mark – opposition)

Bugatti GmbH v Bugatchi Uomo Apparel, Inc 2013 ATMO 102 (Trade mark – opposition)

Bickford’s Australia Pty Ltd v Tata Sons Limited 2013 ATMO 100 (Trade marks – non-use)

Seafolly Pty Ltd v Madden [2012] FCA 1346; [2013] FCA 316; [2013] FCA 46 (Misleading and deceptive conduct – Copyright – Injurious Falsehood)

Citigroup Inc v Citiwide Holdings Pty Ltd 2013 ATMO 31 (Trade Marks – Opposition)

Sarah Cocker v Vincona Pty Ltd [2012] ATMO 109 (Trade Marks – Opposition)

Chia Khim Lee Food Industries Pte Ltd v Red Bull GmbH (No 1) [2012] FCA 1184 (Trade Mark Appeal – Federal Court)

AB SCA Finans and SCA Hygiene Products AB v Uni-Charm Kabushiki Kaisha [2012] ATMO 63(Trade Marks – Opposition)

Prime Foods Exports Pty Ltd Natural Balance Pet Foods Australia Pty Ltd v Natural Balance Pet Food, Inc [2012] ATMO 47 (Trade Marks – Opposition)

Nexans S.A. v Nex 1 Technologies Co. Ltd [2012] FCA 180 (Trade marks – Appeal)

Websyte Corporation Pty Ltd v Alexander [2012] FCA 69 and [2012] FCA 562 (Anton Piller Order, Copyright, Stay of proceedings)

ASSA ABLOY AB v Tenyale Industry & Trade Group Co., Ltd [2012] ATMO 21 (Trade Marks – Opposition)

Jackel International Limited v Jackel Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 1516 (Trade Marks – Interlocutory Injunction)

Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v IVision Pty Ltd [2011] ATMO 90 (Trade Marks – Opposition)

 Zippo Manufacturing Co v Jaxlawn Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 1125 (Trade Marks – Federal Court Infringement Action)

Brooks Sports, Inc v Paul’s International Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 1000 (Trade Marks – Anton Pillar Order – Federal Court)

Sparco SpA v Nike International Ltd [2011] ATMO 81 (Trade Mark Opposition)

Bacchus Distillery Pty Ltd v BDS Marketing Australia Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 827 (Trade Marks – Interlocutory Injunction – Federal Court)

Kelly Services, Inc. v Ford Kelly Executive Connection Pty Ltd [2010] ATMO 72 (Trade mark Opposition)

 Nature’s Blend Pty Ltd v Nestle Australia Ltd [2010] FCAFC 117 (Trade mark infringement – Full Federal Court appeal)

 Nature’s Blend Pty Ltd v Nestle Australia Ltd (ACN 000 011 316) [2010] FCA 198 (Trade mark appeal – Federal Court trial)

A full resume is available upon request.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.