2025 Francis Gurry Lecture on Intellectual Property

Unlocking Innovation: Balancing Protection and Access Presented by: Kathi Vidal, former Director, United States Patent and Trademark Office. The 2025 2025 Francis Gurry Lecture on Intellectual Property was presented across three cities, on three seperate evening - Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. This recording was taken from the Melbourne event. As global competition intensifies in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other key emerging technologies, balancing innovation protection with broad access becomes increasingly urgent. Addressing community and global challenges—including preparing for future pandemics—requires a nuanced approach that ensures innovations are both safeguarded and shared. To fully harness innovation for economic growth and societal benefit, we must implement policies that lower barriers and empower broad participation in the innovation ecosystem. In this year’s Lecture, Kathi Vidal will explore how IP systems can evolve to foster innovation, drive economic growth, and maintain technological leadership, all the while promoting collaboration and avoiding premature or excessive restrictions on ideas. Drawing from her leadership at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), she will share insights from her work expanding the innovation economy and advancing balanced IP rights globally. Kathi Vidal served as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 2022 to 2024, where she championed initiatives to modernise the patent system, promote inclusive innovation, and strengthen global IP cooperation. Prior to her government service, Kathi was a managing partner at Winston & Strawn LLP and a leading trial lawyer in high-stakes IP litigation. With a background in electrical engineering and decades of experience in high-stakes litigation, she brings a unique perspective on how law and technology can work together to unlock opportunity.