Spotlight Interview with Joanne Brook
- Why did you choose to become a lawyer?
Honestly? I never wanted to be a lawyer. I did a Business Law degree so I could work in a corporate environment, thinking I’d do M&A work. But I studied Intellectual Property in my final year, loved it, ended up lecturing in it, was offered a training contract, and got sidetracked working with some fashion designers and then developing software. Somewhere along the way, I ended up advising those people on ecommerce and “weblaw” and qualified as a lawyer… that was 30 years ago!What has kept me in law is the clients: always fascinating, always creating, developing and innovating, always pushing forward with new ideas that need the application of law and problem-solving to protect their output and their businesses.
- What does technology and intellectual property law entail?
I mainly draft contracts to commercialise and protect intellectual property rights, ensuring the owners get paid and the IP gets used. I do licensing and collaborations, as well as development agreements. I have a particular interest in new tech and, right now, that’s sustainability in materials science for the fashion industry. A licence for shoes grown from seaweed or for handbags made of mushroom leather… that’s me!
- What major challenges have you seen your clients face in the past decade?
The rise of “everything is free on the internet” has been the biggest challenge for creatives up to 2023, and now the biggest threat to their work is AI. Content is cheap and prolific, and the expectation of standards has both dropped with the content we consume and risen with the user experience we expect. Will AI take jobs from humans? Of course. It’s expected. Is it unstoppable? No, provided consumers use discernment and value creative output. The problem with realising value is… the rise of “everything is free on the internet”. The ethical issues surrounding IT and sustainability are becoming increasing challenges, and lawyers are really well placed to help clients address these and prepare for the future.
- Who should seek advice from an intellectual property lawyer?
Anyone who wants to monetise their creative output, whether that’s branding, software, imagery, music, data, etc., should speak to an IP lawyer about how they can achieve that. If you’re developing, licensing or selling digital rights, creating new works, influencing, broadcasting, or using the work of others, you should speak to an IP lawyer about how to protect and commercialise it.
- What keeps you busy outside of work?
I’m an aerialist, which means I hang out on a trapeze or aerial hoop several times a week. I’m also into distance running, and I keep bees. They are amazing creatures and don’t need a lot of input, except for keeping their flight path open and stopping predators from taking over their hives… much like being a lawyer, really.
