As most people would likely be aware (and as Holman Webb has previously stated), trade marks are vital business assets - with dozens of trade mark applications being filed every day in Australia. With this in mind, if your application is not up to scratch, significant issues can arise down the track which may prove to be unresolvable.

In the recent decision of Mann & Anor v. Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 329 on 9 October 2019, the High Court clarified the circumstances in which a restitutionary claim on quantum meruit will be available to a contractor who has elected to terminate the contract for the other party's repudiation, in relation to entire contracts and separable portion contracts.

The NSW Supreme Court recently delivered an interesting judgment in the matter of Hossain v Unity Grammar College Limited & Ors [2019] NSWSC 1313.

As many readers will be aware, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in May 2018. Since the introduction of the regulation, there have been a range of interesting developments, some of which this piece takes a close look at.

Holman Webb's Insurance Team is delighted to invite readers to attend our upcoming October insurance breakfast seminar. 

Many readers will be aware that the mandatory data breach reporting requirements in Australia have been in operation since February of 2018. In September last year Holman Webb reported on the statistics provided by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner relating to the quarter ending July 2018.

Readers may recall that in January 2019, Ultra Tune Australia was hit by the Federal Court with a massive penalty of $2.6 million for breaches of the Franchising Code of Conduct - with this penalty including $1.1 million for breaches of disclosure obligations. Holman Webb previously reported on this matter.

In the 2018 Federal Budget, the government announced that it proposed to reform relevant legislation so that regulators could more efficiently curtail illegal phoenix activity.

There are a wide range of factors that both employers and employees must take into consideration when ending an employment relationship. Whilst many points on the "end-of-employment checklist" are simple to action and take place without issue, one increasingly common point of contention is the question of what happens to the LinkedIn connections formed by an employee in the course of their employment.

There have been recent concerns surrounding the maintenance of acceptable safety standards in labour hire between employers and host employers. As these arrangements can be complex, Safe Work Australia has released a compliance guide under work health and safety laws - Labour hire: duties of persons conducting a business or undertaking.