Lynell Tuffery Huria Principal
Lynell Tuffery Huria (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Ngā Rauru) joined AJ Park in 1990, aged just 16, and this year she celebrates 30 years with the firm. Lynell was also the first Māori patent attorney in New Zealand. In 2018, she became a principal of AJ Park.
With more than 20 years’ experience, Lynell specialises in all aspects of trade mark protection, management and enforcement. She acts for a diverse range of clients, from Māori organisations in New Zealand to multinational companies in North America, South America and Asia.
In the 2020 edition of the WTR 1000, Lynell has been recognised for possessing ‘unsurpassed thoroughness, timeliness and attention to detail’ and as ‘the go-to attorney in town’.
Lynell is regarded as New Zealand’s leading expert on indigenous IP rights and Māori IP. She manages AJ Park’s presence in the Pacific Islands and specialises in advising Māori organisations on IP issues and protecting their cultural icons.
Lynell is passionate about helping Māori navigate the IP system, identify cultural property and develop protocols and processes for recognition and protection within Western structures. In her experience, IP is seen as expensive and not inherently in alignment with Te Ao Māori (the Māori world). She is committed to bridging the two world views.
Despite her busy career, Lynell is committed to giving back. She dedicates her time and expertise to ensure that future generations will benefit from the richness of indigenous culture. She chairs the International Trademark Association (INTA) Indigenous Rights Committee and has been involved in drafting submissions on new legislation for the protection and recognition of indigenous rights across the globe. Lynell regularly presents IP seminars to Māori businesses. In 2018, she co-organised the first Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho conference to discuss ways we can protect our cultural heritage in this ever-changing world.
Lynell has been invited to speak at the Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association’s International Women’s Day event, ‘I am Generation Equality in the Professions’, which is being held on Monday 9 March—. This cross-professional panel includes speakers from the legal, engineering, medical, accounting and health sectors. They will discuss issues such as the challenges for this generation in various professions; actions for culture change; obstacles in the traditional workplace for generation equality; leadership; pay equity and workplace diversity.
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