Women in Intellectual Property: Are Law and Technology a “Double Whammy”?

While studies exist on women in law and women in science and engineering, women practising in intellectual property (IP) have largely been invisible. This is despite the fact that the practice of IP often happens at intersections of law and technology. This chapter examines the experiences of women practising in IP in Australia (62) and New Zealand (45) with respect to negative experiences they encounter at such intersections. It compares and contrasts the experiences of women practising in patents, trade marks, copyright and all IP. It finds that, across all fields, participants reported that they encountered negative experiences when the subject matter became about technology. While women practising in patents experience a "double whammy" in comparison to women in trade marks, certain women in copyright appear to experience a "triple whammy" as they additionally operate in feminised industries. The chapter concludes that, though gender achievements have been made, work remains in removing negative presumptions around women and technology in the practise of intellectual property.