To Hijack the old adage the 'proof of the pudding is in the eating', the proof of a good patent is in the litigation. If the patent is to withstand an attack during a court procedure it has to be good. However, it is hard to tell if your IP attorney has drafted a good patent until you go to court.  Recently, one of Griffith Hacks clients found out just how good their patent attorney's drafting was; winning damages of US$28m.   

Tony Mizzi, senior principal of Griffith Hack's Perth office, was interviewed for a full day by four different US lawyers in relation to a litigation which concerned a patent specification he drafted some 15 years ago.

"Our client was suing a US company for infringement on a patent I had drafted some time back" says Mizzi.  "I'm happy to say that my patent was tested by the US courts and stood up, although this would mean more to my client who was compensated US$28m for the infringement, making the original decision to protect the idea a good one". 

With more companies recognising that their IP is a valuable asset that needs protecting, the demand for experienced, commercially savvy, specialist IP firms is essential.
"At Griffith Hack our primary objective is to protect our clients' ideas by creating intellectual property rights and defending those rights with relevant, sound and up-to-date specialist advice necessary for commercial success", says Mizzi. "I'm pleased to say that we can stand by what we say".
Griffith Hack patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers are highly qualified and experienced in a wide range of fields. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, many have post-graduate qualifications, work and research experience in both industry and research institutes.

Dr Stuart Boyer, another principal located in Perth says "Griffith Hack professionals are highly qualified and experienced in a wide range of fields.  The Perth office alone has eight attorneys; five with PhD qualifications in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry and two in Biotechnology".

"We are confident that as one of the only truly integrated patent and trade mark IP law firm in Australia, Griffith Hack offers its clients a complete range of IP services and strategic advice tailored to maximise commercial success", Boyer says.

GRIFFITH HACK Perth TEAM

Tony Mizzi, Perth, Principal 
Tony specialises in the patenting of electronic, mechanical, electrical, mining and general engineering-related inventions.  He also advises clients on a range of intellectual property matters, including trade marks and designs. Joining Griffith Hack in 1988, Tony has since built a substantial and successful patent and trade mark practice with local clients ranging from individual inventors to large corporations. He also assists clients in the negotiation of technology contracts and licenses.

Dr Stuart Boyer, Perth, Principal 
Stuart specialises in all aspects of patenting in the fields of biotechnology and molecular biology.  A registered patent and trade mark attorney, Stuart is a member of the firm's Life Sciences team.  He has extensive research experience, and uses his knowledge in his patent work to seek the broadest protection for an invention.  Stuart predominately works with local clients, providing strategic advice, intellectual property management, due diligence assessment and patent drafting and examination. Stuart's clients include major Australian pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, leading medical research institutes, hospitals and research centres, as well as major biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in Europe, United States and Japan.

Steven  Starkie, Perth, Principal
Steven has extensive intellectual property experience in assisting clients with drafting and prosecution of patents, trade marks and industrial designs.  He specialises in the areas of electronic, IT and mechanical technologies such as computer software, business methods and electronic circuits.  Qualified as an Australian and European patent attorney, he has worked with patent and trade mark attorney firms in Britain and Australia. Steven's overseas experience provides him a particular advantage when assisting overseas clients or Australian clients seeking overseas patents.