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Sam Mamudi, New York

On October 1 2005 the latest sections of the Patents Act 2004 (the Act) came into force. The implemented provisions include changes to the periods allowed for payment of renewal fees, changes to the circumstances in which an order for security for costs can be made in proceedings before the comptroller, and clarification of the rights of patent owners and co-owners in applying for amendment or revocation of a patent.

After it started life as a kitchen-table publishing operation, generations of globe-trotting backpackers clutching Lonely Planet guidebooks have turned the Melbourne-based company into an internationally recognized brand. General counsel Chaman Sidhu tells Emma Barraclough how she manages its growing portfolio of IP rights

Isabel Davies reveals how INTA decides when to file amicus briefs in trade mark-related cases and, below, INTA subcommittee chairs describe the impact of INTA submissions in different regions

A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam – who received the world's first recorded patent in 1449

In Grant v Commissioner of Patents [2005] FCA 1100, the Australian Federal Court recently considered an appeal from the Commissioner's decision to revoke an innovation patent that dealt with a trust arrangement designed to protect an asset, presumably against the lawful claims of the owner's creditors.

As competition continues to grow in the fast-paced market of IP rights, the understanding and analysis of patent information is playing an increasingly important role in driving business strategy for corporations and IP firms alike. Across the board, clients are demanding greater explanation of, and insight into, how their IP rights fit in with their business strategy. Patent agents must extend their offerings or risk losing clients to more clued-up competitors.

Australia has a transparent and fair court system that is generally sympathetic to IP owners who believe their rights have been infringed, say John Collins and Wayne Condon of Clayton Utz

Stéphanie Bodoni, Cannes

The Intellectual Property Office (IPOPhil) and the EC-ASEAN Cooperation Programme (ECAP II) held a five-day Patent Application Drafting and Prosecution seminar from October 10 to 15, which was conducted by Karl Rackette, a European and German patent attorney. At the seminar, IPOPhil distributed a draft regulation aimed at introducing a qualifying examination for patent agents. At the moment, there is no formal patent attorney or patent agent profession in the Philippines. Patent applications are handled by lawyers with assistance from people with technical knowledge, many of whom are former IPOPhil patent examiners. The objective of the proposed regulation is to develop a patent agent profession in the country. The main points of the proposal are as follows: