After completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) programme, Ethan Harrold worked primarily in an R&D-focused role in product development and mechanical engineering. He built products for five years before realising 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 inventor on a patented project,” he says. “I found the IP side of my work to be the most engaging and rewarding, 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, he joined the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP) programme at Auckland Law School to build on what he’d already been learning on the job.
“The MIP programme has given me a clear and tangible pathway toward becoming a registered Trans-Tasman patent attorney,” says Harrold.
The Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board (TTIPAB) is the regulatory body responsible for registering patent and trade marks attorneys across New Zealand and Australia — and the MIP meets its educational requirements. As more businesses operate across borders and IP disputes follow, this dual-jurisdiction recognition is more essential than ever.
The MIP programme gives you a strong start for a career in intellectual property, even if you don’t have a law background. Source: University of Auckland
A programme built for the real world
Sitting in the heart of Auckland’s legal precinct, steps from the High Court, Auckland Law School offers one of the most specialised IP programmes in the region. It is built specifically for professionals who want to get serious about intellectual property.
The 120-point programme covers both New Zealand and Australian IP law. Core courses include patent law, patent drafting, patent practice, trade marks practice, copyright and design, trade marks and related rights, and interpretation and validity of patent specifications. Beyond those within the domestic legal and IP community, these courses are also designed for scientists, engineers, agriculturalists, and innovators — professionals where IP law is directly relevant to their work in innovation and commercialisation.
For someone like Emma Stares, this was what drew her to the MIP programme. A chemist by training, she spent years as a patent examiner at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) before moving to its hearings office. She joined the MIP to specialise in IP law and go beyond patents.
The trade marks papers came in handy straight away. Seeing how copyright, designs, and plant variety rights all fit together helped her understand the bigger picture. “The MIP has opened up the world of IP beyond what I knew as a patent examiner,” she says.
What makes that possible is who’s in the room. Courses are taught by active practitioners: Dr. Nora Croft, a patent attorney who sits on the Return on Science Biotech and Pharma Investment Committee, a nationwide commercialisation and investment advisory panel; Dr. Victoria Argyle, a PhD in Chemistry graduate who’s now a Special 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 means what you learn is closely connected to practice across the Tasman. It’s something Shijie Yu, a Chinese MIP graduate, appreciates. He joined the MIP to qualify as an IP attorney in New Zealand. He says that being taught by accomplished practitioners gave him clear, on-the-ground insight into how IP is handled in New Zealand and what it looks like in day-to-day practice.
Scholarships are available to both domestic and international MIP students. Source: University of Auckland
Study on your terms
Another big plus of this programme is that it fits around your schedule. You can either complete it full-time in one year, or spread it across two to four years part-time, with courses running intensively over three days or in eight-week evening blocks from 5 p.m. Every session runs in person and online, so you can always choose how you’d like to attend.
For Harrold, who has a full-time job, this flexibility made a big difference. “The MIP programme is invaluable because it complements my practical experience as a patent executive and allows me to balance study with work and family life, thanks to its locally taught, in person, and online learning options,” he says.
But no matter the mode, the MIP will expand your professional network in the best ways possible. “Many faculty members and students are experienced industry professionals with a wealth of practical knowledge,” Harrold says. “The IP community in New Zealand is close-knit and passionate, whether you’re interested in patents, trade marks, or copyright.”
For those not yet ready for the full 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 career in intellectual property law.Apply to the Master of Intellectual Property programme today.
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