Duncan Schaut | Senior associate

Duncan helps clients develop and implement their intellectual property strategy with a focus on patents and registered designs.

Expertise

Duncan specialises in all aspects of patents, registered designs and copyright and their commercialisation. He has a deep understanding of the aeronautical, building, cleantech, greentech, infrastructure, manufacturing, marine, medical devices, mining and mineral, packaging, recreational, sustainability, and transport fields.

Experience

Prior to working at Baldwins (now AJ Park), Duncan worked as an intellectual property (IP) specialist both in leading IP firms and as in-house IP counsel. This combination of experience since 2000 brings a unique perspective and understanding of clients’ needs. Before that, he worked as an R&D thermal and mechanical design engineer for a multinational power electronics company.

Working style

Duncan enjoys understanding clients’ needs and their business goals and aligning their IP strategy and rights to match these goals. He also enjoys working closely with his clients to understand their invention, how it works, its application and future applications it might have.

Duncan is based in our Auckland office and regularly travels to Christchurch and the surrounding areas to work with clients.

Recent accolades

Duncan was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2023 Best Lawyers in New Zealand™ in the field of IP law.

Services

Expertise

Qualifications

BE (Eng Sc), University of Auckland (1994)
ME (Mech), University of Auckland (1997)
LLB, University of Auckland (2009)
Admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
Registered Patent Attorney (New Zealand and Australia)

Duncan Schaut 's insights

Article \ 4 Mar 2020

Brexit and Intellectual property rights

This update supersedes our update from November 2019. Brexit occurred on 31 January 2020, when the United Kingdom left the EU and entered a transitional phase that will end on 31 December 2020. During this transition period, EU law continues to govern.

Article \ 1 Oct 2019

How may Brexit affect my IP rights in the UK?

Britain has missed several deadlines for exiting the European Union (Brexit). However, there is still a possibility Brexit will happen. The next tentative exit day is 31 January 2020. In this article we briefly highlight the issues Brexit poses for owners of EU trade mark rights, European registered community designs, European patents, and how IP disputes will be affected.

Client story \ 1 Jan 2018

Ag-Tech Industries - ATV Lifeguard® quad bike crush protection

We work with Ag-Tech Industries to put in place a strong suit of intellectual property around the remarkable Lifeguard® roll-over protection device. This has included negotiating and transferring the intellectual property rights to the invention from the inventor to its new owner, as well as securing patent and trade mark protection in New Zealand, Australia and other international markets of interest.

Article \ 19 Dec 2016

Amendments to New Zealand’s Patents Act set to become law

The Patents (Trans-Tasman Patent Attorneys and Other Matters) Amendment Bill received royal assent on 21 November 2016 and will be in force in its entirety as an Act of Parliament by the end of February 2017.

Article \ 24 Feb 2011

A single patent examination for New Zealand and Australia

On Wednesday 16 February 2011, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced progress on harmonising the intellectual property laws of New Zealand and Australia. This is part of the Trans-Tasman Single Economic Market agenda between the two countries for the next five years.

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