International Filings
Our dedicated International Filing Desk (IFD) is available to assist overseas clients and associates with filing their international patent or trademark applications in New Zealand, Australia and across the Pacific Islands.
Find your specialist
How we can help with international filings
As one of Australasia’s premier privately-owned intellectual property law firms, James & Wells represents a growing number of the region’s most innovative export businesses.
To cater to the needs of local businesses seeking to secure IP protection in major international markets, we have built up an extensive network of international associates in the United States, Europe and right across Asia. We reciprocate by providing a full suite of IP filing and renewal services throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
Our attorneys are trained and registered to practice in Australia and New Zealand and are proficient in the main European and Asian languages. With eight of the top ten trading partners being countries in Asia, we have a specialist, multilingual team of IP experts who are proficient in doing business in Asia and can act as a cultural and commercial bridge for Asian associates whose clients are doing business in this part of the world.
James & Wells Partners are members of several professional and industry organisations and travel regularly to meet with international associates. We also host visits to Australia and New Zealand by associate firms wishing to strengthen their local market knowledge and relationships.
If you value working with an independent patent attorney firm that you can trust to put client interests and outcomes above all else, contact us today.
Meet our experts
Partner
Jonathan Lucas
Jonathan heads James & Wells’ Patents Team specialising in mechanical engineering, electronics, physics, telecommunications and software. He has a strong academic background in physics and many years’ patent attorney experience working across all these fields. He specialises in drafting patent…
Partner
Jason Rogers
As Head of the James & Wells Life Sciences team, and with over twenty-five years’ industry experience, Jason’s expertise includes a diverse array of biotechnology fields. Jason’s focus is on high-end intellectual property strategies for patent, design and copyright rights….
Partner
Adam Luxton
Adam is highly regarded in the fields of mining, energy, medical devices and consumer products. As an experienced patent attorney with an extensive background in mining and software engineering, Adam’s services are in demand by national and multinational companies seeking…
Partner
Mike Flint
Mike specialises in the electrical, electronics and software fields and has specialist knowledge of acquiring IP rights in the Asian market. He has a strong academic background having graduated with a first-class honours degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from…
Partner
Ceri Wells
Ceri is a founding partner of James & Wells, a past president of the New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys, an experienced patent and trade mark attorney, and an outspoken champion of innovation. As an experienced lawyer and patent attorney…
Partner
Tonia Brugh
Tonia is a dual qualified trade mark and intellectual property specialist, with over 20 years of domestic and international experience advising clients in this area. Tonia also has significant experience in the entertainment and IT sectors, including drafting, reviewing and…
Managing Partner
Tim Walden
Tim is the Managing Partner of James & Wells and specialises in trade mark law. Managing large trade mark portfolios, completing clearance investigations for new brands, devising filing strategies, establishing brand ownership, and enforcing trade marks overseas, are all part…
Partner
Carrick Robinson
Carrick is a trade mark and branding specialist with over 23 years of intellectual property experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He assists businesses with mitigating brand risk and with leveraging their IP and works with brand managers…
Partner
Nick Mountford
With over 25-years’ experience as a patent attorney in the engineering/ICT sector, Nick has helped numerous clients achieve commercially beneficial ownership and control of their IP, while mitigating against risks posed by competitors. His work centres on protecting clients’ innovations…
Partner
Jared Millar
Jared is a member of the Patents Team. He works with a wide variety of clients in numerous industries including animal health and husbandry products, automated dairy technologies, building and construction technologies, fluid applicators, power generation, and vehicle suspensions. He…
Of Counsel
Andrew Knowles
With over 30 years’ experience working in intellectual property, Andrew has been involved in numerous trade mark and design cases both in prosecution and litigation. His current practice includes working with clients on trade marks, copyright, design and patents. Outside…
Associate
Stephanie Hadley
Stephanie is an Associate and Trade Mark Attorney based in our Christchurch office. With a background in marketing, media, and food and beverage law, she delivers quality legal service and brand strategy on trade marks, has specialist knowledge in food…
Consultant
Britta Fromow
Britta is a lawyer and patent attorney with over 20 years’ experience in the Intellectual Property profession. Her specialist areas include mechanical engineering, electronics, robotics, medical devices, aerospace, and agri-technologies. She is also an expert in registered designs. Before becoming…
Partner
Dr. Andrew Scott
Andrew heads James & Wells’ Chemistry team. With a broad background in physics, biochemistry, and chemistry, Andrew has also completed a PhD in synthetic medicinal chemistry and post-doctoral studies in materials science. Andrew is passionate about providing solid, commercially relevant…
Partner
Jennifer Lucas
Jennifer has over 15 years’ experience in patent drafting and prosecution across a range of jurisdictions. Her experience covers chemistry, particularly pharmaceuticals, human and veterinary medical devices, food technology; including plant-based products and processes, dairy food and beverage innovation, health/nutraceutical…
Partner
Janelle Borham
Janelle joined James & Wells in 2024 as a partner based in our Melbourne office, after spending 20 years as a principal heading up a sizeable team of patent attorneys at a large Australia firm. Janelle is a registered Australian…
Insights and resources
Champions of Innovation®
Since 1979, James & Wells has been at the forefront of innovation in Australasia. We are here to help you grow, leverage and protect your IP. Our depth of experience ranges from managing large IP portfolios for international corporations, right through to protecting the ideas of start-ups, and everything in between. No matter the size of your organisation, James & Wells are here to be your dedicated Champions of Innovation®.
We are a full-service IP firm – that means you will find everything you need to protect your IP just by working with us. We will help you with patents, trade marks, litigation and IP strategy – our people are externally recognised as some of the best in the business, and they work together to bring you custom-built IP solutions that are tailored exactly to your needs. When you work with James & Wells, you know you’re in a safe pair of hands, with a highly experienced team supporting you.
Talk to us today about how we can work together.