[caption id="attachment_7263" align="alignleft" width="300"] Winner: Ella O'Sullivan[/caption]

Thomson Reuters and the General Editor of the Australian Intellectual Property Journal, Dr David Lindsay, are pleased to announce that Ella O’Sullivan is the winner of the 2012 intellectual property law essay competition.

Ella’s submission was on the patentability of human embryonic stem cells, comparing the situation in Europe and Australia with a detailed discussion of the Olive Brüstle case and concludin that Australian law should not follow the European model.

Ella’s article was unanimously judged to be the leading essay submission  by the judging panel, consisting of the Honourable Mr Justice Gummow AC, Professor Sam Ricketson (Melbourne University) and Ann Dufty (founding Editor of the Australian Intellectual Property Journal).

Ella recently completed a PhD on the patentability of biotechnological inventions in Europe at University College Cork, Ireland. She is currently lecturing International Intellectual Property Law at Griffith College Cork, Ireland.

[caption id="attachment_7264" align="alignleft" width="225"] Runner-up: Dr Robert Considine[/caption]

Thomson Reuters and the General Editor would also like to congratulate the runner-up, Dr Robert Considine. Robert’s article was on the American shop rights doctrine and its potential use in Australia.

Dr Robert Considine returned to University to study law through Monash University’s Juris Doctor Program in 2009.  For the past ten years Rob has fulfilled leadership roles in the water sector and enjoys the complex environmental and social bargaining aspects of decision making in water management and feels the law provides a stimulating, structured way of making complex decisions.

Rob was appointed Melbourne Water’s Manager of Integrated Water Strategy last year.  For Melbourne Water, integrated water strategy is about contributing to a more sustainable, prosperous, liveable and healthy community by planning and delivering water supply, waterways and sewage services holistically. Previously Rob has worked with catchment managers, asset managers and customers in ensuring Melbourne’s drinking water quality continues to meet or exceed the city’s high expectations. Highlights have included leading the water sector’s advice on the quality of desalinated water and also participating in the drafting of the Victorian Safe Drinking Water legislation.  Prior to Rob’s involvement in the water sector, Rob completed a PhD with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Both the winning and runner-up articles will be published in an upcoming edition of the Australian Intellectual Property Journal. The Journal examines intellectual property law issues and developments within Australia and around the globe.