Recommended for Studio Owners/Directors, Account Managers, Independent contractors & freelancers

Who owns the copyright in that logo you've just designed? Is that logo able to be registered as a trademark in New Zealand? What rights do you have to the artwork files you create on behalf of clients, or a freelance designer creates for your client on your behalf? How can you protect your design work posted online?

This workshop will provide a beginners guide to intellectual property law in New Zealand, and a pragmatic view on how the law impacts on the graphic design sector.

There will be an emphasis on what the various parts of the law mean, particularly in regard to protecting the value you create both yourself and for your clients.

The structure of the workshop is intended to explain the various elements that make up the law of copyright, how trademarks work and what other intellectual property rights you may have. It will be a top-level-only perspective on what can be a very large subject, although with plenty of time to answer your questions.

Some useful background links:

https://www.iponz.govt.nz/

https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/madrid_protocol/

https://wecreate.org.nz/?sheet=338#2

https://creativecommons.org/

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0049/latest/DLM164240.html?src=qs

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1994/0143/latest/DLM345634.html?src=qs

https://www.phaidon.com/store/design/marks-of-excellence-9780714864747/

About the facilitator:

Bret Gower is a former graphic designer turned brand agency owner, and now an intellectual property lawyer as part of the commercial law team at Smith and Partners, West Auckland's leading law firm. In this workshop, he applies his unique hybrid skill set to the challenges facing studio owners in a constantly changing social and business environment.