Student Profiles

Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Deakin, Online, Graduated 2010.

Currently: Australian Registered Trade Mark Attorney, Davies Collison Cave, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys

Ian Drew had graduated with degrees in Economics and Arts from the Australian National University (ANU). However, he soon realised trade mark law was his forte when he fell into a job as a Trade Mark Examiner at IP Australia - the Agency that grants rights to patents, trade marks and designs. 'I became quite keen on the subject matter, especially trade marks,' he says.

Ian sat the examinations set by the Professional Standards Board for Registration as a Trade Mark Attorney in the last year they were offered, and then undertook a Masters in Intellectual Property Law, again at the ANU. The course was delivered in an intensive format, allowing him to work full-time as he studied.

Ian then married and moved to the UK, obtaining a position with a firm of Trade Mark Attorneys. During the two and a half years he spent there, he completed the exams for part-qualification as a Trade Mark Attorney in the UK. This was enough to ignite his desire to do law. 'I always intended to do a law degree when I returned to Australia,' he says, 'and was lucky enough to be offered a position at Davies Collison Cave in Melbourne, who were very supportive of my decision. In fact, the Partner I work with could empathise, having been in the first intake in the Deakin Law School, whilst working full-time and having kids.'

With a full time job, Ian realised Deakin's online law degree was ideal for his circumstances. 'I worked full-time and studied full-time and we had a baby as well,' he says. 'Without a doubt, online studies really suited me. Deakin does it very well.'

As well as being able to schedule his study commitments in his own time, Ian found himself more than satisfied with his lecturers. 'A lot of the lecturers were of a very high standard, approachable and very knowledgeable,' he says. He also has high praise for the course content. 'A lot of people tell you how practical Deakin's course is and that is reflected in the way I have used the content. It has definitely expanded my ability.'

Ian says he uses the skills and knowledge obtained from the law degree on a daily basis. 'It happens all the time. I seemed to have a particular interest in property law and I did well in those subjects,' he says. 'It really helped with proprietary aspects of trade mark issues in my work.'

Ian values his position with Davies Collison Cave - 'the leading firm in IP in Australia' - and is equally happy that he pursued his law degree at Deakin. 'Deakin has become very highly respected and I definitely would commend the degree to future students.'