Cue Business Inspiration for 2008

Do you have a business idea everyone says won't work? Still want to go ahead?  For inspiration read our article "We'll all be rooned" heard Phil Tripp, which links to prominent entrepreneur Phil Tripp's business life journey, “20 Years Ago, It Was Our First Deadline”. It will only take you a couple of minutes to read and is well worth it.

At the end of our post is a list of other inspirational people and places we’ve written about in 2008.

Wishing everyone a very happy festive season and prosperous 2008. 
 

Cue Contract Drafting Tips

Cue Articles and Lightbulb Blog Posts

Is your know-how under-valued?  All businesses derive revenues from know-how, yet very few apply knowledge and time to treat their know-how in a structured way to protect it effectively and build more value.

Luis Vuitton Mashups & Fashion Law  What do Britney Spears and a dog toy manufacturer called Haute Diggity Dog have in common? The answer: both were recent defendants in legal actions in France and the US by luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton. Their tales are titillating examples of creative mashups causing legal bashups.

Special Collection: Website Development  In advising numerous web ventures we've developed a considerable library of resources and know-how regarding legal customs, expectations and risks regarding online businesses. They are overviewed here under six headings.

Domain name scam made in China  Recently we had a friendly email exchange with a man named "Jeff Zhang", or so it began. It turned out to be an example of the increasing phenomenon of “spambush marketing” out of China. What follows is a cautionary tale.

Californification of titles without trade marks  Showtime Network, a pay TV channel picked Californication to title its TV series. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers had already used it to title a song and album. What followed is an entertainment law lesson.

New innovation policy for herding cats  The NSW Government has announced an innovation policy. This post overviews the policy and provides our take on the innovation situation in Australia generally.    

How to make contracts more certain and less costly  It's time to stop believing the myth that lawyers can provide legal protection with words alone. In addition to words, protection in contacts requires knowledge and know-how regarding business process, policies, training, standards, and codes of conduct. Why is this so?

Australian architects behaving badly  In mid-November we wrote two articles on two court cases involving copyright, contracts and architects. Both cases involve lengthy disputes over either a unit block or project homes. What options are available for Australian architects who seek to professionally document their legal relationships with clients and collaborators? 
 

Guest Articles on Migration Law

Migration expert Paul Hense continues his series.

Securing fairness for Australian visa applicants  I was having a debate with a neighbour last week, and the conversation went from politics to whether Australia is a racist country. My neighbour took the view that Australia is no worse than any other country in the world, and a lot better than most. I took the view that Australia still has a way to go to eliminate racism.

Australian migration numbers, visas and leadership  Australia has a new Federal Government, and with it new leadership in the migration portfolio. Before reflecting on this, we answer these two questions: How many migrants has Australian had annually? And what visa categories have they been accepted in?