Gain practical insights into IP issues in business transactions to keep on your radar and plus practice, procedure and strategies in IP litigation. Gain practical guidance on conducting due diligence in business transactions involving trademarks and domain names, managing IP licensing arrangements in the context of business sales and navigating the evolving impact of AI on IP practice. Focus on recent amendments to High Court rules affecting IP litigation and mediation in resolving IP disputes. Walk away with up-to-date knowledge of critical IP issues, practical tools to avoid common pitfalls and strategies for effective IP matter management.

Presenters

Sheana Wheeldon, Barrister and Mediator, Sheana Wheeldon Barrister
Sheana Wheeldon is a barrister and mediator, with more than 30 years’ experience in IP dispute resolution. She is one of New Zealand’s leading Intellectual Property lawyers, with a strong focus on commerciality and settling disputes. Her IP practice encompasses trade mark proceedings of all kinds including at IPONZ, patent infringement and invalidity, and copyright issues. Sheana has been a barrister since 2015, after ten years as a partner and head of the IP practice at a major national firm. Now also practising as a mediator, she is an associate member of AMINZ, a member of the AMINZ Panel of Mediators and Intellectual Property List, and a Resolution Institute accredited Mediator. In the adjudication field Sheana is a member of the NZ Domain Name Commission's Panel of Experts who decide domain disputes in the .nz space. She is a member of the New Zealand Law Society IP Committee, and a Registered Patent Attorney (New Zealand and Australia).

David Moore, Director, Henry Hughes Intellectual Property Australia & New Zealand
David has been an Intellectual Property practitioner for over 25 years having practised in the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, focusing on non-contentious intellectual property protection and commercialisation. David's expertise includes providing strategic advice on trade mark portfolio management, filing and prosecuting trade mark applications in multiple jurisdictions, advising on the availability and feasibility of new brands, managing trade mark opposition and revocation cases, negotiation and settlement of IP disputes and preparing multijurisdictional coexistence and settlement agreements. David's experiences in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East have given him an international perspective on intellectual property law. David has been active in the International Trademark Association (INTA) for many years and is currently co-chair of the Asia Pacific Subcommittee of the INTA Bulletins Committee. He’s also on the IPONZ convened Trade Mark Technical Focus Group. David is a co-author of the trade mark section of the LexisNexis Practical Guidance, Intellectual Property module.

Jonathan Aumonier-Ward, Partner, Duncan Cotterill
Jonathan is a trade mark and copyright specialist who uses his well-honed problem-solving skills and commercial approach to help his clients achieve their business goals. With over 20 years of experience, he has worked with multinationals operating in a broad range of industries, from hospitality, food and beverage, and sustainable businesses, through to technology, software and communication. He also works with non-profit and charity organisations in New Zealand and overseas. He is a highly acclaimed practitioner and was acknowledged by the World Trademark Review as one of New Zealand’s leading IP enforcement and litigation practitioners with 'a nose for commercial solutions to diverse trademark and copyright issues

Paul Johns, Executive Lawyer & TM Attorney, Pearce IP
Paul advises clients on actual or potential legal disputes, including in relation to registered intellectual property (IP) rights, copyright, and consumer and marketing law. He helps his clients to develop and implement appropriate strategies to effectively manage and resolve disputes, whether by negotiation, litigation or other dispute resolution methods. Paul appears on behalf of his clients in the Courts and in IP office hearings. Though based in our Auckland office, Paul travels regularly to work with clients in Wellington and Christchurch. Paul has more than 19 years’ experience in IP disputes, including five years at a leading general commercial firm in New Zealand and at a major international firm based in London. Paul’s recent industry accolades include being highlighted in the IAM Patent 1000 2020 selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in New Zealand 2021 in the field of IP law.

Christopher Young, Partner, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Chris heads the intellectual property team in New Zealand, and has a widely recognised IP practice internationally. Chris worked at Nabarro in London and then before returning to New Zealand completed post graduate studies in Intellectual Property Law and Licensing at Queen Mary College, University Of London. He gives practical advice on all aspects of IP through its life cycle including development, protection, transfer, enforcement and commercialisation. He is recognised for branding strategy and manages trade mark portfolios for a wide range of companies locally and internationally. With more than 20 years’ experience in licensing and commercialisation, franchising, commercial arrangements and the IP aspects of transactions, including business acquisitions and mergers, and financing, commercial IP is a key area of Chris’ practice. Chris acts for a wide range of businesses from start ups and SMEs through to local listed companies and multinationals. Chris has been actively involved in the International Trademarks Association (INTA) and the International Bar Association (IBA) for years and has served on a range of important committees having previously chaired INTA’s East Asia Pacific Famous Marks subcommittee, and he has served on the Parallel Imports Committee, Internet Committee and the Asia Pacific Global Advisory Council. Chris is currently a co-chair of the Asia Pacific subcommittee of the Bulletin Committee.