COVID-19: An update from Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick

Key points:

  • It’s business as usual at Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick.
  • IP Australia has introduced a new streamlined process for extension of time requests for Applicants impacted by COVID-19.
  • We will keep you updated.

We continue to monitor this situation closely and want to provide you with a business update and share some of the things we are doing to ensure business continuity and to keep our staff safe.

  • IP Australia has introduced a new streamlined process for extension of time requests for Applicants impacted by COVID-19. The new extension of time has no official fees, and is available to extend most Patents, Trade Marks, and Designs deadlines for up to three months (excluding renewals). It requires the submission of a simplified request based on standard text made available by IP Australia.
  • From your perspective, it’s business as usual for us. All parts of our organisation are fully operational.
  • All partners and staff will have remote working capabilities by early next week. Our digital enterprise management system, POFDocs, enables us to carry out our business activities as if we were physically present in each of our offices.
  • All of our client-facing staff are able to hold client meetings and interact with the innovation community using video conferencing tools.
  • We have encouraged our staff to observe social distancing recommendations at home and in public.
  • We are expanding flexible working arrangements for our staff.
  • All foreign and domestic business travel has been cancelled, and we have closed our client meeting rooms.

Our communities and countries are all coming together to fight this pandemic. Our team at Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick is part of your community and we are dedicated to playing our part in that fight during this unprecedented time.

BEng(Elec)(Hons) FIPTA

Ross began his professional career as a Technical Assistant with Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick (POF) in 1987. In 1991, he moved to Europe where he worked with The Swatch Group in Switzerland as an in-house patent attorney. After returning to Australia in the late 90s, Ross worked as a patent and trademarks attorney before re-joining POF as a Principal in 2006.