THE IP WEALTH TEAM
The IP Wealth Team is comprised of a talented and dedicated group of individuals who have each contributed to creating a fun, energetic, challenging and rewarding working environment where each team member is valued for their company as much as they are for their experience and qualifications.
Michael Beverley – Managing Partner
Michael Beverley is one of Australia’s leading intellectual property (IP) experts. He is passionate about helping business people to secure their success by controlling their IP and is most proud when he sees brands in shopping malls and in magazine advertisements that he has helped to protect with trademark registration. In a career spanning more than 15 years, Michael has worked with world heavyweights including Warner Bros, Disney, Lucas Films and Australia’s National Rugby League. His work in trademark protection has also led him to work with a wide range of local businesses while major firms around Australia turn to him for expert IP advice. Michael is committed to handing on his skills and to helping the business community understand the importance and value of their trademarks, ideas and other intellectual property .
Michael is also the author of the “Intellectual Property Secrets of the Rich” Audio Series, which covers the business and protection aspects of Trademarks, Designs, Copyright and Domain Names. Michael is a second-generation member of The Executive Connection (TEC), an international membership organisation that brings together Chief Executives in groups of up to 16 to share their knowledge and address business issues and opportunities. He is also an IP and business mentor on the Gold Coast Mentor panel convened by the Queensland Department of State Development. Michael’s favourite coffee is a short macchiato.
Cassandra Voller – Registered Trade Marks Attorney
Cassandra joined IP Wealth in 2007 with an extensive knowledge of meeting business to business needs, sales and marketing and Internet marketing strategy. Cassandra’s studies have included law (Bachelor yet to finish) and international business along with the completion of a Bachelor of Business with a major in Marketing. She is registered as a Trade Marks Attorney in Australia and New Zealand.
Cassandra is fluent in trade mark law and practice in Australia and also Canada, United States, New Zealand, the UK and the European Community. She has vast experience in handling full scale trade mark oppositions and negotiating trade mark disputes. Cassandra is also well-versed in advising on trade mark protection and enforcement strategy in the online arena, particularly with handling search engine complaints and filing domain name complaints for her clients. Cassandra is an expert in large portfolio management, and understands the importance of keeping her clients informed at every stage of registration. Her meticulous communication skills, along with a very personable style, make the headaches of trade mark management for her clients easy and stress free!
Cassandra appreciates the importance of good quality brand creation and strategic brand management. She says the combination of branding, market research and the law makes working for her client’s as their trusted IP advisor interesting and fun everyday. Cassandra enjoys a french earl grey tea or a soy latte to kick start her morning.
Norma Beverley – Registered Trade Marks Attorney
Norma Beverley has a Bachelor of Laws, is a Registered Trade Marks Attorney, and holds a Masters of Media Practice and a Graduate Diploma in Marketing. This diverse background enables her to work creatively with Clients to help them develop unique brand names they can own, enforce and profit from.
Norma has a sophisticated understanding of all areas of intellectual property law with special proficiency in overcoming objections to the acceptance of difficult to register trademarks via persuasive argument supported by legal research. As well as securing extended Copyright protection for Australian authors in key overseas markets, including the United States.
Norma has a deep understanding of International Commercial Law and a network of trusted advisors in the import/export sector of South America. Her international business and marketing experience means that she can offer valuable, strategic intellectual property advice for Australian entrepreneurs looking to export.
Norma’s multilingual skill enables her to communicate directly with key International Trademarks Offices in Europe and South America, on behalf of her Clients and the whole team, saving IP Wealth Clients considerable time in delayed information on the international trademark Process. She feels a profound joy and pride to see her Client’s trademarks out in the shelves in the market place displaying the ® registered trademark symbol. Norma’s favourite way to start the day is with a freshly grounded long black.
Leah Paddon – Trade Marks Consultant
Leah joined IP Wealth in 2008 after working within the legal services industry for over a decade. Throughout her time as a Legal Secretary Leah developed time management, attention to detail and extensive legal skills from her significant experience in QLD Conveyancing and other areas of law, which she has been able to bring to the IP Wealth team. Through intensive training and experience with IP Wealth Leah is now a specialist in trade mark availability searches, having conducted hundreds of availability searches in Australia and overseas. Leah has an innate ability for obtaining acceptance of the most difficult or ‘un-registerable’ trade marks by way of her persistence and attention to detail when it comes to responding to examination reports and Statutory Declaration drafting.
Further, Leah’s intellectual property skills expand to design registration, and negotiating the purchase of domain names for her clients. Leah advises several large companies about the registrability of their trade marks both nationally and internationally and takes pride in the fact that her advice enables her clients to move forward with their business plans with the peace of mind and confidence that their IP is protected. Leah is the first in the office every day with a soy cappuccino in hand!
Shannon Brown – Trade Marks Consultant
Shannon joined the IP Wealth team after relocating from New Zealand. Shannon has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) majoring in Political Science, graduating from Victoria University in Wellington in 2007. Shannon is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and has also successfully completed the Trade Marks Paper of the Patent Attorney Examinations in New Zealand.
Following the completion of her qualifications, Shannon joined the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) as a Trade Marks Examiner, later being promoted to a Senior Trade Marks Examiner. Following this, Shannon obtained experience within the private sector, gaining valuable commercial IP experience working for clients in both New Zealand and Australia. Shannon’s experience working on “both sides of the fence” has given her a broad and insightful understanding of the mechanics of the IP process, along with a strategic knowledge of what is required to obtain trade mark protection for her client’s.
Shannon has considerable experience advising on trade mark availability and eligibility for registration and infringement matters, filing Australian, New Zealand and international trade mark applications, addressing objections raised against her client’s trade mark applications, advising on trade mark portfolio management, and establishing and maintaining client relationships. Shannon enjoys starting her day with the simplicity of an English Breakfast tea.
Paul Holzberger – General Manager
Billie Lignos – Director of First Impressions
As our Director of First Impressions, Billie plays a key role in representing the IP Wealth values, and always ensures our visitors, suppliers and clients receive warm professional attention. If there is anything that you need, be it an appointment with our professional team, directions to our office or an update, just call and ask for Billie.
Billie has extensive experience in frontline customer service and is always happy to help you. During her career she has gained high level office administration skills working with one of Queensland’s largest construction companies. Billie has a Certificate III in Business Administration and is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Management. Billie is great at multitasking and has excellent attention to detail, she also supports our Management team. Billie’s organizational skills help our office run smoothly and harmoniously. Her friendly smile and pleasant nature is an asset to the team and our clients. Billie keeps her energy up throughout the day with an early morning natural supplement shake.
Corinne Ozols – Trade Mark Services
Corinne joined the IP Wealth team in 2011, bringing her experience with Law and Criminal Justice, and the strong analytical skills of an experienced legal secretary.
Corinne excels in assisting our attorneys and specialists, with a meticulous approach and strong eye for detail. She has a comprehensive understanding of the operational side of all Clients matters and ensures that everything runs smoothly throughout the whole trade mark process.
Corinne developed her bilingual skills whilst visiting Central and South America, also gaining a vast understanding of international cultures, which is of key importance for Clients looking to protect their brands overseas. Corinne is currently completing a Bachelor of Criminal Justice with emphasis in Intellectual Property, also aiming to become a Registered Trade Marks Attorney. Corinne’s favorite drink hails from the mountains in France, opting for a smooth, refreshing mineral water to start her day.