Presenters

Sonia Stewart, Barrister, 5 Wentworth Chambers
Sonia specialises in intellectual property law, with a strong focus on trade marks, branding and advertising. This includes obtaining injunctive relief to restrain competitor brand launches and advertising campaigns, over a career spanning more than two decades. Admitted in 2001 and called to the Bar in 2016, Sonia was formerly a Senior Associate in the Intellectual Property & Dispute Resolution Group at Mallesons (currently KWM). Sonia has also held senior in-house and executive roles for major brand owners of fast-moving consumer goods and in highly regulated industries. Sonia’s corporate experience enables her to advise clients in a concise and commercially relevant manner. Sonia is commended by clients and solicitors for her collaborative approach to working and the tenacity and clarity of her advocacy. She appears regularly, both led and unled, in litigation at trial and appellate level, representing a variety of clients, including in challenging areas such as tobacco, alcohol, gambling, food & beverages and pharmaceuticals. Sonia’s portfolio of clients includes global brands such as The a2 Milk Company, Pastificio Rana S.p.A (RANA pasta), PDP Fine Foods (WICKED SISTER Desserts), Cantarella Bros (ORO coffee), NPPA (PayID), Myriad Women’s Health (FORESIGHT Carrier Screening), NOVA Entertainment, Procter & Gamble, Juno Pharmaceuticals, ProductReview.com.au, Nestlé and Imperial Tobacco. Sonia appears primarily in the Federal Court of Australia and before IP Australia. Sonia has been recognised in the Doyles Guide for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 as recommended Junior Counsel Intellectual Property (New South Wales) and as a Leading Junior TMT and IP, Legal 500 for 2026. Sonia also regularly presents at and chairs seminars on brands and trade marks.


Kimberley Evans, Executive Lawyer, Trade Mark Attorney (AU, NZ), Pearce IP
Kimberley is Head of Trade Marks at Pearce IP, a boutique firm offering intellectual property specialist lawyers, patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys, with a particular focus on the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries for patents and litigation. Having previously worked for one of Australia’s oldest trade mark attorney firm and a top tier international law firm, Kimberley has expertise across all aspects of the trade mark and domain names lifecycles, from adoption and clearance, through to prosecution, enforcement and contentious work, including multinational disputes. Over the past decade, she has supported some the world’s most recognisable brands including media conglomerates, pay television broadcasters, international hotel chains, biotechnology entities, FMCG companies, biofuel manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, sporting bodies and medical technology entities. With her knowledge and experience from working in-house, in academia and also in private practice, she advises all types of clients, from sole traders to start ups through to multinational conglomerates on all aspects of trade mark registration, management and enforcement. In 2025, The WTR1000 recognised Kimberley as a leading trade mark practitioner for prosecution and strategy.