Samantha Ludemann
Associate
About Us
We work with creative companies and individuals that inspire us
Founded in 2023 with a 20 year client base, XVII Degrees is a boutique intellectual property (IP) law firm serving innovative, emerging, and inspiring businesses and individuals.
We genuinely strive to understand the people behind the businesses we work with, helping to turn your ideas into IP assets and defending them as if they were our own. With strong global partnerships with top IP firms and practitioners, we ensure comprehensive protection for your brand.
CEO/Principal
Originally from New Zealand, founding principal Blair Beven moved to Australia in pursuit of a challenging legal career. He has worked in some of the top law firms in Australia as well as being a partner for over 15 years at three prominent commercial law firms. In 2014, he established the first Australian office of a prominent IP boutique from New Zealand. In three years, he built a team of over 15 IP professionals and support staff, protected some of the world’s most recognisable brands, worked on some high-stakes IP litigation matters and worked with hundreds of businesses to secure their IP rights. Blair is qualified to practice law in Australia and New Zealand and is recognised as one of the top IP lawyers in Australasia. His knowledge of global IP systems, strategy, IP law, and processes is unparalleled.
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Samantha is an associate at XVII Degrees with expertise in Intellectual Property, Trade Marks, and asset management. Her expertise extends to managing extensive international trade mark portfolios, with previous experience as a Senior Trade Mark Examiner at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand. Samantha brings expertise in protecting and enhancing our clients' portfolios, helping them achieve global brand recognition.
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Georgia Renard
Associate
Georgia is an associate at XVII Degrees. She has previous experience in commercial litigation and intellectual property with esteemed prior commercial law and IP firms. She honed her skills in legal drafting, research, and client advisories. Georgia brings a diverse range of experiences and a commitment to excellence to the firm, where she offers strategic counsel on Intellectual Property law matters, including trade mark applications, opposition proceedings, and portfolio management.
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Sophie McCartney
Paralegal
Sophie is a paralegal at XVII Degrees and is in her final year of a Bachelor of Commerce and Law at the University of Wollongong. She has over 10 years of experience as an IP paralegal/PA at major law firms in Sydney and has a broad understanding of Intellectual Property law and legal practice management systems. Sophie collaborates closely with clients to support them throughout the entire IP lifecycle, from creating brands to protecting and enforcing their IP assets.
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Anneliese Zanchetta
Chief Marketing Officer
Anneliese Zanchetta is the Chief Marketing Officer at XVII Degrees and has a Bachelor of Communications, specialising in Public Communication, Digital, and Social Media from the University of Technology, Sydney. She is skilled at developing high-level marketing strategies that promote the XVII Degrees brand through digital marketing and events. Anneliese offers a fresh and innovative approach to XVII Degrees’ marketing strategy and aims to inform clients and the wider community about the importance of intellectual property law.
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Miranda Aitken
Business Development Manager
Miranda is the Business Development Manager at XVII Degrees. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Acting) from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and is studying for a Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) at the University of Technology, Sydney. Miranda manages sales and business processes for XVII Degrees and is motivated to add genuine value for clients. As a member of the UTS Start Up Hub and Startmate Launch Club, Miranda enjoys educating startups on the importance of intellectual property protection.
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Alison Chung
IP Administrator
Alison is an Intellectual Property (IP) Administrator at XVII Degrees and is in her second year of studying a Bachelor of Business and Law at the University of Technology Sydney. She is enthusiastic about IP, particularly, within the emerging artificial intelligence sector. Alison has completed her Microskill Introduction to AI at the Institute of Applied Technology. Within her role, Alison is dedicated to managing the firm's administration operations effectively to provide a seamless experience for our clients.
