Susy Frankel FRSNZ

Susy’s research focuses on international intellectual property law. She teaches courses in intellectual property (including copyright, patents and trade marks), patent law and innovation, global intellectual property issues, international trade law and the protection of mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) and regulation. She has published numerous books, articles and book chapters and is frequently invited to give conference presentations on various aspects of intellectual property law and policy.

Susy was the Convenor of the Humanities Domain of the Royal Society, Te Apārangi from 2020-2022 and is currently the Deputy Chair of the Academy Executive Committee and a member of the Society's Council.

Before joining Victoria University of Wellington, in 1997, Susy practiced law in New Zealand and London. Susy qualified as Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1988 and as a Solicitor of England & Wales in 1991.

Susy was President (2015–2017) of the International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research of Intellectual Property (ATRIP) and a Founding Director of the New Zealand Centre of International Economic Law.

In 2020 she was a Global Professor at NYU Law School and will return as a Global Professor teaching courses in intenrational intellectual properrty in 2025. She has been a visiting Professor at the University of Haifa (Reinhold Cohen Visiting Chair) 2014; University of Western Ontario 2012; Fellow of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge and visitor to the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Law, University of Cambridge, Michalmas term 2008; visiting Professor, University of Iowa 2000; and between 2013 and 2014 she was a Senior Fulbright Scholar and Hauser Global Fellow at New York University

Between 2011 and 2013 Susy was the Project Leader of the New Zealand Law Foundation Regulatory Reform Project, funded to NZ$1.9 million. The project was interdisciplinary involving economics , lawyers and academics and produced three books and a cutting-edge regulatory toolkit.

In 2020 she was appointed a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Susy served as Chair of the Copyright Tribunal, 2008-2020.

Susy’s current research projects include:

The Interpretation of International Intellectual Property Agreements.
“Mission Creep”—the effects of regulatory regime shifting from patents to data protection (with Jessica Lai)