Achievements

DibbsBarker has assisted Colgate-Palmolive in its day to day business in setting up good governance protocols from document destruction policies to email policies to privilege policies to privacy policies. As the client grew larger, we responded by identifying risk areas for the client from a legal point of view and then recommending practical solutions. As a result of identifying advertising sign-off as a legal risk, Colgate-Palmolive has become a leader amongst consumer goods companies in minimising legal risk in relation to that copy. Colgate-Palmolive adopted DibbsBarkers rigorous sign-off procedure on its copy, had us train its leaders in the legal pitfalls in the area and is delighted by the very small number of complaints it receives today about its advertising and marketing.

DibbsBarker has assisted Colgate-Palmolive and its US parent company on its various strategic brand and intellectual property acquisitions in Australia over the last 20 years and has used a team of transactional and intellectual property lawyers within the firm to develop knowledge as to the important risk issues for this client and to be the repository of corporate memory on these transactions and the issues they posed.

DibbsBarker has also advised on various litigious issues faced by this client. For instance, DibbsBarker acted in relation to the development of Colgate-Palmolive’s Balmain factory site into residential units from the time of refusal by Leichhardt Council of development approval. After successful judgement in the Land and Environment Court, DibbsBarker arranged for approval/gazettal of closing of public road to facilitate development.

DibbsBarker was involved in numerous aspects of product development to assist with the transformation of the business from a provider of basic rental products on minimum terms to providing customers with an expanded range of rental options including, most importantly for the business, the option to buy a similar product to the product being rented. The benefit of this for Radio Rentals was that it increased the length of the standard contract term so that customers rented for a longer period of time to obtain a lower buyout price for the similar good at the end of the extended term.

DibbsBarker took a proactive role on being appointed to assist the company with operating within a listed environment to ensure the company complied with ASX Listing requirements and Corporations Act requirements. Our team took a hands on approach and immediately mapped out an annual calendar of critical dates the company must not miss to deal with accounts, their preparation and filing, annual general meetings and the events involved leading up to this and disclosures required to ASX and ASIC. The aim was to develop a document and set of triggers that both educated the client about its obligations and gave it the independence to rely on the roadmap provided rather than having to constantly come back to their advisors for crisis.

DibbsBarker represented the client in the often-cited comparative advertising case against Black and Decker (Australia) Pty Limited. The case established important principles about comparative advertising. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of swift action in the Federal Court when seeking urgent injunctive relief against a competitor’s advertising campaign

DibbsBarker are the principal lawyers for Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited.  In 2007 and 2008 DibbsBarker acted for Domino’s in the sale of a large number of its corporate stores to franchisees. This was a large sale project with over 50 stores being sold all around Australia. The sales were conducted over two intensive two month periods. DibbsBarker had to draft standard sale documents and negotiate amendments to each sale agreement and then take each sale to completion over a short settlement period.