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Champions of Innovation®.
Established and award winning.

Putting clients at the forefront since 1979.

Find your specialist

Champions of Innovation®

Since 1979, James & Wells has been at the forefront of innovation in Australasia. We are here to help you grow, leverage and protect your IP. Our depth of experience ranges from managing large IP portfolios for international corporations, right through to protecting the ideas of start-ups, and everything in between. No matter the size of your organisation, James & Wells are here to be your dedicated Champions of Innovation®.

Meet our Team

About Us

Insights & Resources

Meet our People

Ceri Wells

Partner

Ceri Wells

Ceri is a founding partner of James & Wells, a past president of the New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys, an experienced patent and trade mark attorney, and an outspoken champion of innovation. As an experienced lawyer and patent attorney…

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Alexia Mayer

Partner

Alexia Mayer

Alexia is an experienced Australian and New Zealand intellectual property (IP) litigator. Alexia’s practice includes patent, trade mark and copyright infringement, patent and trade mark oppositions, breach of confidence, IP ownership disputes, misleading and deceptive conduct,  IP licensing, and pharmaceutical/medical…

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Gus Hazel

Partner

Gus Hazel

Gus is one of Australasia’s most experienced intellectual property lawyers. His experience includes litigation at all levels of the Australian and New Zealand systems, alternative dispute resolution procedures (mediation and arbitration), commercialisation, regulatory issues and administrative law. In addition to…

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Britta Fromow

Consultant

Britta Fromow

Britta is a lawyer and patent attorney with over 20 years’ experience in the Intellectual Property profession. Her specialist areas include mechanical engineering, electronics, robotics, medical devices, aerospace, and agri-technologies. She is also an expert in registered designs. Before becoming…

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Dr. Andrew Clarke

Partner

Dr. Andrew Clarke

Passionate about the biotechnology industry (particularly the biomedical research sector) Dr. Andrew Clarke heads James & Wells’ biotechnology team in Australia. Andrew has an impressive track record of managing and prosecuting worldwide portfolios for universities, large research organisations, ASX-listed companies,…

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Stephanie Hadley

Associate

Stephanie Hadley

Stephanie is a Solicitor and Brand Strategist based in our Christchurch office. As a member of our dedicated ‘Food and Beverage Innovation’ team and with a background in marketing and consumer law, Stephanie is one of our Food Standards advisory…

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Ian Finch

Partner

Ian Finch

Ian is recognised as one of New Zealand’s most influential leaders in intellectual property. He has extensive experience advising clients in the filing, prosecution, and enforcement of their innovation at all levels and across a range of industries, particularly in…

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Adam Luxton

Partner

Adam Luxton

Adam is highly regarded in the fields of mining, energy, medical devices and consumer products. As an experienced patent attorney with an extensive background in mining and software engineering, Adam’s services are in demand by national and multinational companies seeking…

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Tim Walden

Managing Partner

Tim Walden

Tim is the Managing Partner of James & Wells and specialises in trade mark law. Managing large trade mark portfolios, completing clearance investigations for new brands, devising filing strategies, establishing brand ownership, and enforcing trade marks overseas, are all part…

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Dr. Jenny Chien

Patent Executive

Dr. Jenny Chien

Dr. Jenny Chien joined the Auckland Patents team in 2019 after working as a Research Associate at the University of Auckland’s Leukaemia & Blood Cancer Research Unit. Jenny has a Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University and a…

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Dr. Andrew Scott

Partner

Dr. Andrew Scott

Andrew heads James & Wells’ Chemistry team. With a broad background in physics, biochemistry, and chemistry, Andrew has also completed a PhD in synthetic medicinal chemistry and post-doctoral studies in materials science. Andrew is passionate about providing solid, commercially relevant…

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Jonathan Lucas

Partner

Jonathan Lucas

Jonathan heads James & Wells’ Patents Team specialising in mechanical engineering, electronics, physics, telecommunications and software. He has a strong academic background in physics and many years’ patent attorney experience working across all these fields. He specialises in drafting patent…

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Dr. Taylor Smallwood

Trainee Patent Attorney

Dr. Taylor Smallwood

Taylor joined the Brisbane Patents Team in 2021. She previously worked at the University of Queensland as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow since 2018. Her experience at UQ included a collaborative project with international pharmaceutical company, Grünenthal, to develop novel, non-opioid…

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Edward Chen

Associate

Edward Chen

Edward is a Taiwanese born and New Zealand educated trade mark lawyer with a background in commercial law. The majority of Edward’s work concerns trade mark law and practice, with a particular focus on registering and clearing trade marks for…

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Ben Cain

Partner

Ben Cain

Having spent 14 years as a professional marketer and brand design manager before qualifying as a lawyer, Ben’s passion is resolving disputes concerning registered or common law trade mark rights, domain names, copyright rights, registered designs, fair trading issues and…

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