FB Rice & Co's strengths lie in patent and trade mark prosecution, but the brand also works with top-ranking law firms for contentious matters. The group has 16 partners and about 40 professionals and represents clients before both the Australian and New Zealand Patent Offices.
In Sydney, Chris Owens and his team look after the filing of the majority of University of New South Wales' patents on photovoltaic engineering. The firm further cites Hospira, CSIRO and The Bionic Ear Institute among its esteemed client base.
In a more than decade-old conflict, Joanne Martin is assisting Reed Exhibitions and Reed Elsevier Group against Reed Solutions over ownership of the Reed trade mark. Martin additionally defended Durst Motor & Electric Industries in an action by a German manufacturing company, Durst Phototechnik, to remove the former's trade mark registration. The parties entered a new settlement, where the client was able to keep its registrations.
A pharmaceutical client who goes to the firm for the full range of patent searching, scoping, operator analysis and managing external agents describes FB Rice & Co as "incomparable" and "excellent": "It has reasonable rates and its understanding of international concepts is brilliant. It is timely and efficient. It is my favourite firm to work with."