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Commonwealth legislation
This Code sets enforceable professional rules for patent and trade mark attorneys operating across the Trans‑Tasman area. It establishes core duties, practice‑management rules and a complaints/discipline framework, and replaces the prior 2013 Code.
It affects registered attorneys (who must meet the rules and bear compliance costs), their clients (who gain defined service expectations and complaint routes) and regulators (who administer and enforce the Code).
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Direct links to the current provisions in Code of Conduct for Trans-Tasman Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys 2018.
1 Name of code....................................................1
2 Commencement..................................................1
3 Authority.......................................................1
4 Definitions......................................................1
5 Former Code of Conduct............................................3
6 Application of code................................................4
7 Objective of code.................................................4
8 Guidelines to code.................................................4
9 Rights of clients not affected..........................................4
10 Administration of code.............................................4
11 Core obligations.................................................6
12 Responsibility...................................................6
13 Integrity.......................................................6
14 Competency....................................................7
15 Diligence......................................................7
16 Communication..................................................7
17 Disclosure.....................................................8
18 Confidentiality..................................................8
19 Loyalty.......................................................8
20 Conflicts......................................................9
21 Independence...................................................9
22 Termination of services............................................10
23 Ownership.....................................................11
24 Funds 11
25 Client property..................................................11
26 Address.......................................................12
27 Complaints.....................................................13
28 Disciplinary proceedings............................................13
1 Code of Conduct for Patents and Trade Marks Attorneys 2013...................14
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
1 Name of code....................................................1
2 Commencement..................................................1
3 Authority.......................................................1
4 Definitions......................................................1
5 Former Code of Conduct............................................3
6 Application of code................................................4
7 Objective of code.................................................4
8 Guidelines to code.................................................4
9 Rights of clients not affected..........................................4
10 Administration of code.............................................4
11 Core obligations.................................................6
12 Responsibility...................................................6
13 Integrity.......................................................6
14 Competency....................................................7
15 Diligence......................................................7
16 Communication..................................................7
17 Disclosure.....................................................8
18 Confidentiality..................................................8
19 Loyalty.......................................................8
20 Conflicts......................................................9
21 Independence...................................................9
22 Termination of services............................................10
23 Ownership.....................................................11
24 Funds 11
25 Client property..................................................11
26 Address.......................................................12
27 Complaints.....................................................13
28 Disciplinary proceedings............................................13
1 Code of Conduct for Patents and Trade Marks Attorneys 2013...................14