#HenryHughesStaffSpotlight: Penny J Walsh
- How’d you get into IP?
“I was finishing up studying Chemistry at university and was looking for employment, I saw an ad for patent examiners at IPONZ so that was my first. Moved to Wellington from Dunedin — the big smoke!
I started out examining chemical patent applications, which was quite specialised. I went from there into mechanical/engineering patent applications.”
2. What is your role in HH? For how long?
“I’m an associate which means I carry out a range of work relating to different types of IP rights depending on what our clients want and need. All different aspects of IP so I’ve diversified from patents into other IP interests. It is really interesting how they intersect for any given business.
It makes my work more interesting, as time has passed here, I’ve been more involved in more complex and interesting, different types of work which has broadened my skills.
I’ve been with HH since 2011.”
3. How did you end up at HH?
“Later I was studying Architecture part-time and working part-time. HH had a part-time position for someone with patent experience which was perfect for me.
IP is quite a small community, while I worked at IPONZ, I corresponded with various people at HH including Margaret, the Director I started out working with at HH.”
4. What has it been like working at HH/ an IP firm?
“I work with great people here and as I’ve gained more experience, I’ve been exposed to more complex and interesting work assignments which has been really good, for example gaining experience in trade mark law which is a different side of the coin. I see IP issues everywhere now.”
5. What was your initial understanding of what Intellectual Property is?
“I think it was really limited and I think that was down to my experience at university. I think tertiary students in a lot of disciplines aren’t very exposed to it. Some of them are. For example, if you’re in a creative discipline studying animation you’re more likely to be taught about copyright and how that relates to your future career than if you’re a chemistry student.”
6. How has this changed?
“I think we come back to that ending up working in HH, being exposed to so many different, unique IP issues — it does encourage you to think more holistically about how everything intersects.”
7. What do you think is the biggest misconception with IP?
“I think overlooking IP as a practical step in your business plan. There are so many practical steps when you’re setting up a business or running a business. You know you got to register at the Companies Office, you got to think about tax and GST registration, set up a website, you gotta do all these steps. But people don’t really think about documenting their IP as a step or seeking IP protection. We got to think about it and you should think about it all the time.
You’re always creating IP so you should be regularly checking, even if it’s at the back of your mind. “Oh! I’ve just launched a new product or-“ preferably “thinking about launching a new product and it’s going to have this name so what do we do about that”. Or crucial to patents and designs is before you release it to the public, you need to file your applications. And copyright, what is in your employment agreement about copyright? What happens if you commission something? You know, just having an understanding of that. And if there’s a step to be done, like putting a clause into a contract about copyright or other IP rights, making sure that gets done.”
8. First word that comes to your mind when someone says IP.
“Trade marks. When it’s top of my mind, not thinking about IP. Because you’re just passing them all the time, every day. And it’s the most easily accessible concept, I think, perhaps, to people, who aren’t that familiar with IP, they know what a trade mark is.”
9. If you could trade mark/patent/designs/plant variety rights anything out there that’s already been registered, what would it be?
“I would choose a design by a lighting designer that I like, Lee Broom for his Eclipse light (US D905,886). “
10. Would you rather be able to always successfully pitch to a client or always successfully pitch to an IPONZ commissioner?
“Commissioner. Because that would be more of use to my clients. If you had a magic touch with the Commissioner that would lead to more and happier clients