Gina is a Principal in Russell Kennedy's Corporate and Commercial team, specialising in Intellectual Property law. With a career built on helping businesses protect and leverage their most valuable intangible assets, Gina brings both strategic thinking and deep technical expertise to every engagement.
Gina advises on all aspects of IP, including trade marks, designs, copyright, confidential information, domain names and consumer protection matters. She works with clients to manage the full lifecycle of their Intellectual Property, from brand development and protection strategies, through to managing Australian and international portfolios, commercialisation, enforcement and disputes. Whether it's a start-up building a brand from scratch or an established organisation defending its market position, Gina helps clients turn their IP into a genuine competitive advantage.
Gina is co-chair of the IP Special Interest Group of Ally Law, an international network of independent law firms with 80 member firms worldwide, giving her access to a global perspective on IP strategy and cross-border portfolio management. She is also a member of INTA's Indigenous Rights Committee, reflecting her commitment to the intersection of intellectual property and the rights of Indigenous peoples, an area of growing significance in Australia and internationally.
Gina's experience extends beyond Australian borders. She has worked for a specialist IP firm in Japan and served in-house, reporting to the Global IP Counsel of a leading international gaming company. These experiences give her a practical understanding of how IP operates within global businesses and across different legal systems.
A regular presenter at seminars and conferences on IP topics for clients and industry groups, Gina is known for making complex legal concepts accessible and actionable. She is passionate about helping clients see their IP not just as a legal issue, but as a core business asset worth investing in.
Year joined the firm: 2020
- Federal Court Trade Mark Infringement Defence; Acted as defence counsel for a leading Australian agribusiness and its associated hospitality entity in Federal Court trade mark infringement proceedings brought by a major national hospitality group; while infringement was found, the court declined to award additional damages — a significant outcome given the scale of the claim — and the case has since become an authority on the interpretation of good faith use under the Trade Marks Act 1995.
- IP Australia Trade Mark Opposition; Successfully represented a religious community organisation as lead counsel in a contested trade mark opposition, securing a finding in our client's favour, refusal of the application, and an award of costs — setting an important precedent for community organisations seeking to prevent bad faith registrations of their name by third parties.
- IP Australia Trade Mark Removal Application; Acted for a US based food technology company in successfully removing a blocking trade mark registration before IP Australia, establishing that the registered owner lacked the requisite good faith intention to use the mark — clearing the path for our client's Australian market entry and setting a meaningful precedent on trade mark squatting via intermediary filings.
- Multi-Jurisdictional Trade Mark Dispute; Advised a New Zealand premium consumer goods brand in a complex, multi jurisdictional trade mark dispute spanning parallel proceedings across five jurisdictions including Australia, the UK, EU, and US, achieving a global settlement that secured the client's right to continue operating under its brand across all key markets.
- Trade Mark Opposition (Healthcare Sector); Acted for a national healthcare provider in resolving a trade mark opposition over its head brand, achieving a withdrawal of the opposition by settlement and securing registration of a critical brand asset that underpins the client's ongoing expansion strategy.
- Bachelor of Laws, Murdoch University, 2003
- Bachelor of Asian Studies (Japanese Studies), Law, Japanese, Murdoch University, 2003
- Ally Law, 2022
- IPSANZ (The Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc.), 2006