Gillian Davies

Professor Gillian Davies serves as Professor of International and EU Intellectual Property Law at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) within the School of Law at Queen Mary University of London. She holds significant leadership roles including Chairman of the British Literary and Artistic Copyright Association (BLACA) and UK representative on the Executive Committee of ALAI (Association littéraire et artistique internationale) in Paris. Her career spans international organizations such as WIPO, IFPI, and the European Patent Office, where she served as Chairman of a technical board of appeal and permanent member of the Enlarged Board of Appeal.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD from Aberystwyth University
• Barrister at Law of Lincoln’s Inn, London

Professor Davies' research focuses on intellectual property law with particular expertise in copyright and patent law at both the European and international levels. She has extensively examined the impact of international treaties on national laws, the public interest in copyright, moral rights in the digital environment, and the functioning of the European patent system. Her work addresses critical issues including copyright term extension, the public domain, and the challenges of harmonizing patent law across jurisdictions.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on the interplay between international treaties and domestic intellectual property regimes. Her articles frequently address copyright term extension debates, the boundaries of copyright protection, and the practical operation of the European patent system through EPO case law. She also explores the public interest dimension of intellectual property, especially regarding the public domain and access to knowledge in the digital age.

Professional recognition includes:

• Listed in Who's Who Legal 2015

Professor Davies supervises LLM dissertations at Queen Mary on European and International copyright and patent law topics. She has contributed to professional development by chairing training seminars for the EPO Academy, instructing patent judges from new EPO member states, and participating in EPO conferences. Her public service roles include Deputy Lieutenant of Gwynedd, Junior Warden of the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales, and Council Member of Bangor University.

She is an active member of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) at Queen Mary University of London, a renowned research center specializing in commercial law that provides an interdisciplinary environment for her intellectual property scholarship.