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Putting IP front and centre of the legal team’s priorities
Intellectual property considerations can get overlooked by law departments in favour of more topical and seemingly pressing concerns – but it really shouldn’t be, argues one head of legal.
Grace Robbie
Speaking on a recent episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, Sarah Standen, the head of legal at Procreate and finalist for the Corporate Counsel (SME) of the Year Award for Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 20 Awards 2025, underscored the increasing importance of implementing and upholding proficiency in intellectual property (IP) matters. She also urged individuals to shift their perception of this field, arguing that it should no longer be viewed as a secondary area of focus.
Standen said: “I really do think that understanding and engaging with intellectual properties and house counsel is so important and arguably increasingly important.”
She explained that this is the case due to the increasing integration of technology within the legal profession over time and the corresponding emergence of artificial intelligence in this field.
“We’re in a world that is more and more dealing in and dealing with technology and intangibles, not to mention the impact that artificial intelligence has.
“There’s a really fascinating and complex intersection between artificial intelligence and intellectual property,” she said.
Standen revealed that IP often remains an overlooked domain for in-house counsel, as it is overshadowed by other pressing priorities.
“I really think it can be an area that can be overlooked when you’re working in-house. Perhaps because you think, oh, you’ve got your contract, you’ve got your property, there’s a lot on in-house counsel’s plate,” she said.
“But getting IP right is really important, partly because it’s fascinating, but it’s also a fun and rewarding area to be playing in.”
For in-house counsel, Standen emphasised the necessity of possessing a comprehensive understanding of the organisation’s intricacies in order to make well-informed decisions regarding the effective management of IP.
“To do a good job in this space, you really need to understand the business that you’re working in. You really need to understand its products, its services, the market it operates in or the sector that you are working in, and also not only the strategy of the organisation but also the values,” she said.
Furthermore, Standen articulated that comprehending IP strategy’s ethical and value-based dimensions, though it may appear unconventional, is equally as crucial as the legal frameworks and considerations.
“It may sound funny to talk about values and ethics in the context of intellectual property, but it’s actually a really crucial part of it because when you’re developing an IP strategy, it’s not just black letter law.
“You do need to consider when you’re filing trademarks, how you want to engage with others in the market and your consumers. You want to protect your rights, but you don’t want to be a bully,” she said.
“Values are definitely something that’s a huge part of my day-to-day work when it comes to dealing with IP infringements, which is a big bulk of my practice at the moment.”
