Kate Giddens

Special Counsel \ AJ Park Law Limited, Wellington

Kate offers sophisticated, commercially astute advice, enabling local and international clients to navigate the complexities of IP law across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Experience

Kate's expertise covers all facets of trade mark protection, management, and enforcement. She is known for her procedural proficiency, expertly managing all trade mark application and enforcement stages. Her expertise spans from preparing and filing trade mark applications to addressing objections and managing disputes. This thorough understanding of procedural nuances and over 15 years of experience enable her to deliver pragmatic, cost-effective solutions that safeguard her clients' intellectual property (IP) rights.

Kate is a senior member of AJ Park's trade mark team and joined the firm during its merger with Baldwins in 2020. Supporting local and international clients, Kate's expertise extends across a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, consumer goods, automotive and fashion.

With a strong network within the IP industry, Kate holds various roles including a member of the IPONZ technical focus group. Her role includes discussing proposed practices and upcoming publications, and supplementing the communication that IPONZ has with other parties interested in IP, such as policy consultation, client surveys, and one-on-one contact with users of IP services.

Kate draws judiciously on her previous experience… to dispense valuable IP counsel to clients in the automotive, entertainment, food and beverage, sportswear and telecommunication sectors.

WTR1000 2024

Working style

Kate pairs her years of trade mark experience with her easy-going, pragmatic nature. She thrives on new challenges and makes trade mark protection light work.

"I love taking a strategic lens to my work, working out what's essential to my clients, understanding their business, and providing counsel two steps ahead of the game. Clear communication is also crucial, and I believe it's important to be on the same page from the outset so we can have open discussions about what is achievable within the restraint of each client. I like to forecast the process with each client so there are no surprises."

Recent accolades

Kate’s recent industry accolades include being named in:

Managing IP's IP STARS for 2023 and 2024 as a 'notable practitioner'.
The Legal 500’s Asia Pacific 2020 guide as a ‘rising star’.
The 2019, 2020 and 2021 editions of Managing IP's Rising Stars.
WTR 1000 2022, 2023, and 2024 as a recommended individual.
2022, 2023 and 2024 Best Lawyers in New Zealand™.

Beyond work

Outside office hours, Kate can be found beside a motorcross track supporting her son, enjoying the Kapiti Coast with her husband and English Springer Spaniel, or stealing a quiet moment to enjoy a good coffee.

Services

Expertise

Qualifications

LLB, Victoria University of Wellington (2006)
BCom, Victoria University of Wellington (2006)
Admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand

See client story

Visa Wellington On a Plate \ A recipe for success

Visa WOAP is the brainchild of Sarah Meikle. Sarah’s interest in tourism and hospitality sparked from the influence of her father, who owned various bars and restaurants during her childhood. Back in 2007, the hospitality industry was struggling in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, and August had become widely known as ‘Dull August’.

Kate Giddens's news and insights

Article \ 19 Apr 2024

Dupes - keeping up with the trends

Keeping up with the latest trends is not for the faint of heart. It can also be expensive. Enter dupes. But is imitation a form of flattery, or a form of robbery?

Article \ 26 Mar 2024

Harmonising Australian trade marks with global standards: the shift to…

On the evening of 26 March 2024, IP Australia will replace its current list of goods and services for trade mark applications with the Madrid Goods and Services list.

Article \ 13 Feb 2024

Where is the IP in fashion?

In the fashion industry creatives are doing the same or similar things, making IP extremely valuable. Protecting the IP in collections and brands while they are new gives an advantage, provided there is something capable of protection.

Article \ 3 Nov 2022

The good applicants, the bad faith and the ugly assumptions

In trade mark matters before the Intellectual Property Office, bad faith is still a relatively ambiguous, “not possible to define” term. It is commonly phrased in IPONZ decisions as being behaviour that “fall[s] short of the standards of acceptable commercial behaviour overserved by reasonable and experienced [persons] in the particular area being examined,” however what constitutes bad faith is decided on the facts of each case.

Article \ 14 Jul 2022

Trade mark genericism in Australia and New Zealand

AJ Park expert Kate Giddens explains the key differences between the Australian and New Zealand tests for genericism, and provides some takeaways for brand owners.

Article \ 19 May 2022

The role of the Māori Trade Mark Advisory Committee and…

We now live, work, and play in a digital and global era. Due diligence is even more important when prosecuting trade marks with creators and businesses operating in a fast-paced world. One important consideration that is often lost amidst commercial evaluations is cultural sensitivity. In New Zealand, the Māori Trade Mark Advisory Committee (MTAC) plays an important role in this regard.

Article \ 1 Feb 2022

New Zealand’s trade mark trends of 2021, and what might…

Kate Giddens, Senior Associate at AJ Park and member of the IPONZ Trade mark Technical Focus Group, summarises the key trade mark trends seen in New Zealand in 2021, shaping the landscape for what 2022 might bring.

Client story \ 31 May 2019

Harley-Davidson - a brand with worldwide appeal

Harley-Davidson is one of the most successful and famous motorcycle brands in the world. In Australia and New Zealand, we administer Harley-Davidson’s brands and customs notices, in addition to actively enforcing the company’s intellectual property rights. We also works closely with customs officials to combat the importation of any counterfeit Harley-Davidson products.