Editorial Committee

Natalie Hickey

Natalie Hickey moonlights as a King & Wood Mallesons dispute resolution partner. One of the co-instigators of the IP Whiteboard concept in 2009, Natalie is our 'chief editor', which just means she has an oversight role. Natalie is a repeat viewer of The Social Network, confident that she too will have an idea you can give away for free, but which will be worth billions of dollars... She is otherwise an avid reader of celebrity magazines such as Who Weekly, but of course only buys it 'for the articles'. Her focus on IP Whiteboard reflects these interests.

Jonathan Kelp

Jonathan was there at the start when the Whiteboard was just a twinkle in the IP team’s eye - and my hasn’t it come on since then.

As a Senior Associate in the Melbourne team Jonathan deals with anything and everything you can throw into an IP dispute, including confidential information, trade marks, patents and copyright. He also has a steady stream of IT disputes going on the side.

And now it’s confession time. Jonathan is ready to admit why Google analytics displayed a single avid reader of our blog in each of Solvenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Turkey last year. Yes, you can never have too much IP news, even on holiday on the other side of the world.

Ben Clemson

As the Editorial Committee's unofficial geek in residence, Ben built most of the blog and is responsible for keeping the (virtual) cogs well greased and running smoothly. When not providing sanity checks on the latest harebrained schemes to increase the IP Whiteboard's audience to Facebook-sized proportions, Ben can be found working in Mallesons' Knowledge Management team on a range of research and IS projects. Away from the office Ben enjoys playing his electric guitars, loud.

Damien MacRae

Damien runs Mallesons’ annual trivia night in Sydney, which tells you (1) that he knows way too much about pop culture and (2) that he is a pedant for accuracy. These qualities make him the perfect person to help edit this blog and keep the rest of the Whiteboard team up-to-date with the latest quirky IP issues.

Suzy Madar

Suzy is mainly into drugs. Whilst this means she loves a good stoush over drugs, blogging on a broad range of issues relating to other aspects of intellectual property and commercial disputes holds her interest too. When she is not blogging about drugs ... and the latest goings on in IP, being a Senior Associate who specialises in patent litigation as well as pharmaceutical and medical device regulatory issues helps keep her out of harm's way.

When not doing any of these things, Suzy likes to get out of the city, and better still, out of the country! She is about to tick off her sixth continent and looks forward to planning the next one - Antarctica!

Paul Quinn

Paul is interested in trade marks, copyright, confidential information and marketing because… well, patents are hard. His blog posts tend more towards entertaining than educational. In addition to being an IP nerd, Paul enjoys playing soccer, cooking (but only ever strictly to the recipe) and watching TV. Also, Paul asked a girl to marry him and she said yes. Paul isn’t sure why she agreed to do that and can only hope that she exercises better decision making skills after they are married.

Samantha McHugh

Samantha McHugh is a law graduate loving everything media, food, fashion and IP, who would like to get to pilates more frequently. With a penchant for mustard-coloured home furnishings and a mean repertoire of desserts, Sam has dreams of one day juggling a successful legal career with a chase for an endless summer around the globe. Sam also enjoys reality TV and online shopping to an extent which is unhealthy. Sam loves writing posts about branding, marketing, celebrities and anything that makes her giggle.

Anthony Sciuto

Anthony is a junior solicitor in the Melbourne office of Mallesons. His main interest is ‘pop culture’. If a pop-star is up in arms about copyright infringement or a trashy TV star or fashion house is attempting to assert IP rights, Anthony will surely have it covered. Aside from IP, Anthony is a keen follower of Melbourne food blogs and is often recommending restaurants to other members of the IP Whiteboard Team.

Edwina Whitby

Edwina is also a Sydney IP enthusiast, with a broad focus across trade marks, branding, copyright - most things IP. She’s been following the iiNet case closely, and enjoying the view across Sydney Harbour from Governor Phillip Tower whenever she can.

Duncan Campbell

Duncan has done a variety of legal work, from trade marks to copyright to class actions and insurance, but he has a soft spot for IP and for finding stories - both serious and (mostly) tongue-in-cheek - to blog about for the Whiteboard. Like Alysia, he particularly enjoys trying to slip as many puns past the editors as he can. Keeping his copy from Natalie is key to this pursuit. When he’s not blogging or billing he likes to play piano, keep up with the latest developments in IT, travel (Europe next!), and occasionally sleep..

James Ellsmore

Together with Suzy and Gareth, James occupies a corner in Mallesons’ Sydney office where he’s allowed to blog on all things patent, pharma and biotech related. He also dabbles in other aspects of IP when given the chance. When he’s not blogging, James works on contentious patent and IP disputes, telling himself that science is cool and wondering what his imaginary friends - the non-inventive skilled addressees - would do. James escapes the office with long runs in the bush, American football and little known TV shows (The League, anyone?)

Gareth Howe

As a relative new comer to the world of blogging, Gareth struggles with the fame that has come his way since his first article so many months ago...although he still finds it somewhat surprising that people are stopping him in the streets to chat about his posts!! Prior to the high life of posting on the IP Whiteboard Gareth was a pharmacist for 8 years giving him a keen interest in patent regulatory issues and drug patents - how geeky! [Why does everyone say they’re ‘geeky’?: ed.]

Having just recently moved from Mallesons' Brisbane office to the Sydney office, Gareth is soaking up the atmosphere of his new surrounds...prizes to anyone who can pick where his profile picture was taken!!

Martin Ivanovski

Martin is a graduate in the Melbourne office. Although new to the world of IP, he is starting to develop an interest in patent law. Outside of the office, Martin’s interests include travel, playing sport socially and all things mathematical.

Christina Surm

Christina is a solicitor in the Brisbane office. She dabbles in all areas of IP law, both contentious and non-contentious, as well as IT and competition law. Christina also has a marketing degree resulting in her interest in trademarks, advertising and media.

 

Alumni

Alysia Abeyratne

Alysia is a solicitor in the Melbourne office. She has had experience in trade practices law and intellectual property and technology. Her interests include 90’s television trivia and puns, which she attempts to incorporate in her posts.

Shaun Tipson

Shaun hangs out in the Sydney office, and generally deals with non-contentious IP, as well as anything else that comes in the law that has a technology aspect. He used to work as a web developer, and enjoys being an early - if not always enthusiastic - adopter (as demonstrated by the Twitter account that was created in early 08 which has since only had sporadic use). These days, Shaun commutes to work on his bike, wearing a jacket that makes him look (as his wife kindly describes him) like a giant tennis ball, and is otherwise sleep deprived in July due to too many nights following the Tour de France.

George Croft

George Croft is a solicitor whose focuses on all things litigious; with a generous twist of IP. George loves nothing more than reading nineteenth-century, English copyright decisions (preferably three at a time, as evidenced by this photo). Similarly, George loves blogging on quirky copyright developments from around the globe, including whether there’s scope for copyright to subsist in a ceremonial headdress…or even a flower garden. When not at work, he enjoys getting down to the beach for a surf, or sampling new and exotic beers.

Nicholas Smith

Nick is one of IP Whiteboard’s Sydney representatives, a trivia buff and IP enthusiast. We also think he showed an unhealthy interest in ‘Old Spice Man’ (yes, Nick is not writing this), or maybe it was just a great post.

Nick’s practice is focused on contentious and non-contentious matters involving copyright, trade marks, misleading and deceptive conduct and internet domain names.