Presenters

Paul Johns, Executive Lawyer & TM Attorney, Pearce IP
Paul Johns is an intellectual property dispute resolution specialist with more than 24 years of experience across New Zealand and the UK. Paul is a seasoned lawyer, IP strategist, and Head of Pearce IP’s litigation team in New Zealand. Paul is experienced in managing contentious disputes regarding all types of intellectual property and related issues, including patents, copyright, trade marks, designs, confidential information and consumer law. With a background in molecular genetics, Paul has acted for clients across a vast range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, animal health, med-tech, food & beverage technologies, heavy vehicle engineering, fashion, hospitality, and entertainment. Paul is recommended for litigation in the IAM Patent 1000, rated for enforcement and litigation in the WTR1000, ranked for Intellectual Property Asia-Pacific in Chambers, and recognised for Intellectual Property and Litigation in Best Lawyers. Paul has advocated for his clients in the New Zealand Court of Appeal and High Court of New Zealand, as well as before the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office and IP Australia. He has conducted UDRP and similar domain name disputes before various arbitral panels. Paul also has experience in effectively involving competition watchdogs and other regulators where appropriate.


Kate Wilson. IP Strategist, James & Wells
Kate Wilson is an internationally recognised IP strategist and registered patent attorney (New Zealand and Australia), with deep expertise across patents, intangible assets, and organisational IP capability. A former founding partner of James & Wells, she has advised many of New Zealand’s leading innovative companies and built extensive experience managing IP portfolios and guiding businesses on how to commercialise and protect their competitive edge. After stepping down from partnership in 2015, Kate established several successful non‑IP businesses, served on corporate boards, and developed a thriving consultancy focused on strategic IP advice. Kate is widely recognised in global IP rankings, including IAM’s Top 300 IP Strategists, and is regarded as a leader in IP education, delivering workshops and seminars in New Zealand and internationally. She is also the author of The Hidden Mechanics of IP – Demystifying Intellectual Property, released in 2025.