Council
The Council, under the rules, manage the affairs of the Institute. The Council comprises a President, a Vice-President and 6 other Fellows. Council is elected each year (generally in November) at the Annual General Meeting, with all councillors being eligible for re-election except the President after a two-year term as such.
Council meets monthly in either Wellington or Auckland throughout the year.
The current council of NZIPA is detailed below.
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Ian FinchPresident, NZIPA Ian joined James & Wells in 1993, qualified as a patent attorney in 1999 and has been a partner since 2001. He has a law degree and a Masters in Commercial Law (both with first class honours). He is also a Barrister and Solicitor. Ian heads James & Wells’ litigation team. His areas of expertise include enforcement of intellectual property rights, litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Ian is a member of a larger number of overseas related organisations including IPSANZ, INTA, LES, the International Bar Association, The International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property and The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific. |
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Logan O'CallahanVice President, NZIPA Logan joined A J Park in February 1994, qualified as a Patent Attorney in 1997 and became a partner of the firm in April 2003. Logan has a law degree and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Mech). He is also a Barrister and Solicitor. Logan specialises in the patent field, he has particular expertise in mechanical, electronics and computer-related patents. |
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Corinne BlumskyCouncil, NZIPA Corinne has been with A J Park working in all areas of the firm for over 15 years. She qualified as a Patent Attorney in 1993 and became a partner of the firm in April 2001. Corinne has a law degree and is also a Barrister and Solicitor. Corinne advises on all trade mark issues including searching, filing, prosecution and registration of trade marks. She also advised on brand strategy and implementation. She is a member of a number of other related organisations both overseas and within NZ, including APAA, INTA, NZ Textile Industry, Rotary and Wellington Womens Lawyers Society. |
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Penny CatleyCouncil, NZIPA Penny joined the Wellington Office of Baldwins in August 2003 as a partner, after practicing commercial intellectual property for 11 years. She became registered as a Patent Attorney in New Zealand in 1992. Penny has a law degree and is also a Barrister and Solicitor. Penny advises on trade mark and brand protection issues, copyright and Fair Trading Act, commercial agreements including franchising and licensing. Penny is also a registered Patent Attorney in Australia and a member of a IPSANZ. |
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Matt AdamsCouncil, NZIPA Matt has been with A J Park in the engineering and information communication technology team since 2000. He qualified as a Patent Attorney in 1997 and became a partner of the firm in April 2002. Matt has a Masters in Computer Science, a law degree and is also a Barrister and Solicitor. Matt specialises in the protection, registration and licensing of patents in the computer and information technology fields. Matt is also a copyright specialist. Matt is a member of the Wellington District Law Society, the Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia as well as a member of several special interest groups in the software field. Matt is also a committee member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association. |
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Elena SzentivanyiCouncil, NZIPA Elena has been with Henry Hughes since 1992 and became a principal in 2002. She specialises in trade marks and domain names. As well as being registered as both a New Zealand and an Australian Patent Attorney, Elena completed her graduate certificate in Trade Mark law and is a registered Trade Mark Attorney in Australia. Elena’s practice covers the development, establishment, management, exploitation and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Elena belongs to the New Zealand Law Society, and has membership of several other overseas related organisations including INTA, IPSANZ and APAA. |
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Tom RobertsonCouncil, NZIPA Tom joined Pipers in 2002 and qualified as a Patent Attorney in 2003. Tom has been working in the Intellectual Property field since 1986 and is experienced in all Intellectual Property matters. Tom works in all areas of patent, trademark & designs law including due diligence, Patent searching, drafting and Intellectual Property legal opinion work. Along with Tom’s substantial New Zealand IP experience Tom has also worked in Brisbane Australia where he developed and gained an extensive and first hand knowledge of Australian Intellectual Property. Tom is also a registered Patent Attorney in Australia Tom is a member IPSANZ, APAA & BNI. |
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Britta FromowCouncil, NZIPA Britta joined Baldwins in 2007, having worked in the Intellectual Property field since 2001. She qualifed as a Patent Attorney in 2004 and became a partner on the firm in 2011. Britta has a Bachelors of Technology (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws. Britta works in the mechanical and electrical patent team where she advises local and international clients. |
