Thomsons

Intellectual Property

Partner

Katrina acts for clients across life sciences, medical devices, health, information technology, energy and resources, government and university sectors. Her corporate clients range from startups and spinout companies to publicly listed and international companies. She has over 25 years of practice as a Partner in the Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Regulatory team.

Katrina advises on licensing and commercialisation of IP, trade mark prosecution and oppositions, IP ownership and structuring, R&D collaborations, alliances and joint ventures, sale and purchase of IP assets and companies, IP audits and due diligence, franchise systems, manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements, and general commercial and corporate law. She also advises on protection and enforcement of IP rights, privacy, franchise compliance, therapeutic goods, medicinal cannabis and AI regulation, clinical trials, regulatory disputes, Australian Consumer Law, advertising law and domain name disputes. She has substantial experience advising on the IP aspects of major corporate transactions including sales, acquisitions, IPOs and capital raisings.

Katrina advises Aerovation Technologies (owner of aeronautical tech company Innovaero) on IP licensing and distribution arrangements with BAE Systems, one of the world's largest defence contractors, relating to precision loitering munitions drones for defence sector applications. She leads advice to Queensland University of Technology on the global licensing of the QCAV-4 banana, the world's first genetically modified banana approved for commercial production, including patent and plant breeder's rights licence negotiations with US food giant Del Monte in a cross-border matter with implications for the global USD$20 billion banana industry. She also negotiated a QUT collaboration agreement with a listed biotechnology company over a microbial biobank with comprehensive IP frameworks governing commercial and research access.

Katrina's breadth across IP, life sciences, defence technology and corporate transactions is uncommon in a single practitioner. Her track record in university technology commercialisation and regulated sectors including therapeutic goods, medicinal cannabis and AI reflects depth across some of the most complex IP environments.

• Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (University of Queensland)

• Master of Laws (Intellectual Property Law) (University of Melbourne)