The BL Team
Scott Buchanan
Managing Director, Practice Director & Principal Lawyer
Scott Buchanan is the passionate founder of Buchanan Law. Scott is an experienced Intellectual Property and commercial lawyer with expertise in advising clients in the development and implementation of effective IP commercialisation strategies and the protection and enforcement of IP rights. Scott has valuable contract and tendering experience with emphasis in the fields of IP and technology based contracts.
Scott is registered by the Australian Institute of Patent & Trade Marks Attorneys to practise as a registered Trade Marks Attorney and was previously a senior associate with Phillips Fox, a large national and international law firm. Scott advises on all aspects of trade marks law and has a wealth of experience in managing large trade mark portfolios including representing clients in Trade Mark Opposition Hearings.
Monica Dawes
Lawyer
Monica Dawes’ practice focuses on the commercial aspects of information technology and telecommunications law and regulation. Prior to joining Buchanan Law in 2007, Monica gained tremendous experience as a contract manager for a national IT company managing federal government procurement and supply contracts.
Monica is a committed lawyer and an invaluable member of our professional team. Monica’s recent experience with Buchanan Law includes working on complex telecommunications regulatory issues impacting upon Australia’s leading VoIP telephony services provider, advising on industry codes, privacy legislation and drafting and advising in relation to a broad range of technology commercialisation agreements.
James O’Connell
Lawyer
James O’Connell graduated from the Australian National University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (Drama). In October 2008, James was admitted to practice as a solicitor of the Australian Capital Territory.
Prior to joining BL in 2008, James worked as an Examiner of Trade Marks at IP Australia where he gained superb firsthand experience in the trade mark application and registration processes.
Now at BL, James works together with the rest of the Team to provide clients with vital insights into a wide range of issues affecting trade mark, designs and related commercial matters.
Gary Lea
Associate (Overseas/TM)
Having been captivated by Intellectual Property at university, Gary has been involved in IP issues in various capacities in both the private and public sector for over fifteen years, writing and commenting extensively during that time.
Prior to taking on his current practice development and trade mark management roles within Buchanan Law, Gary worked both in Australia and the UK as a Trade Mark Assistant, Lecturer in IP, Senior Research Fellow, Senior Lecturer in Business Law, consultant and author. Over the years, he has undertaken consulting, training and advisory roles for a broad range of private and public sector bodies.
Gary’s area of greatest current interest is trade marks, as described in his co-authored book, Firth, Lea & Cornford, “Trade Marks: Law & Practice”, 2nd edn., Jordans Publishers, Bristol (UK), 2006, but he has also assisted in general IP licensing, software licensing, registered design and copyright matters. Gary’s special area of interest relates to IP and competition law aspects of technical standards.