After finishing a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) programme, Ethan Harrold worked primarily in an R&D-focused role in item advancement and mechanical engineering. He developed items for five years before understanding what he was most interested in was what happened after the product was made.
“As an engineer, I was first exposed to intellectual property (IP) as an innovator on a trademarked project,” he states. “I found the IP side of my work to be the most appealing and gratifying, which led me to pursue it as a full-time career.”
In 2023, Harrold landed a role as a patent executive at AJ Park, one of the leading specialist IP law firms across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific. A year later on, he signed up with the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP) program at Auckland Law School to build on what he ‘d currently been discovering on the task.
“The MIP program has given me a clear and tangible pathway toward becoming a signed up Trans-Tasman patent attorney,” states Harrold.
The Trans-Tasman IP Lawyer Board (TTIPAB) is the regulatory body responsible for signing up patent and trade marks lawyers throughout New Zealand and Australia– and the MIP satisfies its educational requirements. As more businesses operate across borders and IP disputes follow, this dual-jurisdiction acknowledgment is more essential than ever.
The MIP program offers you a strong start for a profession in intellectual property, even if you
don’t have a law background. Source: University of Auckland
A programme built for the real life Being in the heart of Auckland’s legal precinct, actions from the High Court, Auckland Law School uses among the most specialised IP programs in the area. It is constructed specifically for professionals who want to buckle down about intellectual property.
The 120-point programme covers both New Zealand and Australian IP law. Core courses consist of patent law, patent preparing, patent practice, trade marks practice, copyright and style, trade marks and associated rights, and analysis and credibility of patent specifications. Beyond those within the domestic legal and IP community, these courses are also created for scientists, engineers, agriculturalists, and innovators– experts where IP law is straight relevant to their operate in development and commercialisation.
For somebody like Emma Stares, this was what drew her to the MIP program. A chemist by training, she invested years as a patent inspector at the Copyright Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) before transferring to its hearings workplace. She signed up with the MIP to specialise in IP law and surpass patents.
The trade marks documents can be found in helpful immediately. Seeing how copyright, styles, and plant range rights all fit together assisted her comprehend the larger image. “The MIP has opened up the world of IP beyond what I called a patent examiner,” she states.
What makes that possible is who’s in the space. Courses are taught by active professionals: Dr. Nora Croft, a patent attorney who sits on the Return on Science Biotech and Pharma Financial Investment Committee, a nationwide commercialisation and financial investment advisory panel; Dr. Victoria Argyle, a PhD in Chemistry graduate who’s now an Unique Counsel in the litigation and dispute resolution team at AJ Park; Jane Glover, a barrister with over 25 years’ experience in IP; and Virginia Nichols, a former Assistant Commissioner of Trade Marks and Patents with over 20 years in the field.
That indicates what you discover is carefully linked to practice across the Tasman. It’s something Shijie Yu, a Chinese MIP graduate, appreciates. He joined the MIP to certify as an IP lawyer in New Zealand. He says that being taught by accomplished professionals provided him clear, on-the-ground insight into how IP is dealt with in New Zealand and what it appears like in day-to-day practice.
Scholarships are readily available to both domestic and worldwide MIP students. Source: University of Auckland
Study on your terms
Another big plus of this program is that it fits around your schedule. You can either complete it full-time in one year, or spread it across two to 4 years part-time, with courses running intensively over 3 days or in eight-week evening blocks from 5 p.m. Every session runs in person and online, so you can constantly pick how you wish to attend.
For Harrold, who has a full-time task, this versatility made a huge distinction. “The MIP programme is vital since it matches my useful experience as a patent executive and permits me to balance study with work and domesticity, thanks to its locally taught, face to face, and online learning alternatives,” he says.
However no matter the mode, the MIP will broaden your expert network in the very best ways possible. “Numerous faculty members and students are experienced market professionals with a wealth of useful understanding,” Harrold says. “The IP community in New Zealand is close-knit and enthusiastic, whether you have an interest in patents, trade marks, or copyright.”
For those not yet prepared for the complete degree, a 60-point Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property offers a shorter entry point and a stepping stone into the MIP when the time is right.
It’s time to advance your profession in copyright law. Apply to the Master of Intellectual Property program today.
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