Event Information
In this special two-part Focus 45 series, we hear from both sides of the table on how the IP profession and IP offices can work together effectively, a dynamic that varies around the world.
In this Part I (April), Rohan Wallace, President of FICPI Australia and member of IP Australia's Patent Consultation Group (PCG) and the Computer-Implemented Invention Task Force (CIITF), shares the profession’s perspective. How does FICPI represent the interests of IP attorneys in private practice at the patent office? What makes forums like the PCG and CIITF effective? And what does meaningful stakeholder engagement actually look like from the practitioner’s side?
In Part II (28 May), we will hear from the other side of the coin. Margaret Tregurtha, Acting Director General of IP Australia, discusses how IP Australia approaches dialogue with the profession: the channels available for engagement, what the office values in those conversations, and how IP Australia’s approach compares with IP offices elsewhere in the world.
For practitioners in jurisdictions where the relationship between the profession and the patent office is more strained, this series offers a valuable window into what productive engagement can look like. And for those who already enjoy open dialogue, a chance to benchmark and reflect.
| Rohan Wallace is a seasoned attorney with ~30 years’ experience. He is President of the Australian group of FICPI. Rohan was involved in a High Court case on patentability, has enforced patents against infringers and is an active member of IP Australia’s Patents, and Trade Marks and Designs consultation groups. He has worked globally across diverse technologies, offering unparalleled expertise to clients of all sizes. Rohan graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering. Rohan entered the patent attorney profession soon after graduating. |
| Ronelle Geldenhuys is a Partner at Jones Maxwell Smith & Davis and the Secretary of FICPI Australia. She is a registered patent attorney with over 15 years of experience in electronics and software-based inventions, spanning private practice and in-house roles. Ronelle also lectures in Patent Systems at the University of Technology Sydney and was the founding Chair of the ChIPs Australia & New Zealand chapter. |
The webinar will be held in Australia on Thursday, 16 April 2026 at 1:00 PM AEST (UTC+10)
- New Zealand: 3:00 PM NZST (UTC+12)
- Japan: 12:00 PM JST (UTC+9)
- Korea, Republic of: 12:00 PM KST (UTC+9)
- China: 11:00 AM CST (UTC+8)
- Malaysia: 11:00 AM MYT (UTC+8)
- Philippines: 11:00 AM PHT (UTC+8)
- Singapore: 11:00 AM SGT (UTC+8)
- India: 8:30 AM IST (UTC+5:30)
📖 CPD/CLE certificates can be provided.
❤️ There is no charge to attend the FICPI webinar.
🗣️ This webinar will be in English