Pearce IP’s founder and CEO, Naomi Pearce, has been recognised one of 70 Elite Women in law in 2025 by Australasian Lawyer and New Zealand Lawyer. This list honours the “70 top female lawyers who have built influence in areas where progress has been slower to take hold”.
While representing 65% of the legal profession in Australia and 63% in New Zealand, women remain underrepresented in its most senior ranks, with only 34% reaching partnership level.
Naomi has spent her career changing that story.
Since 2017, Naomi has built and led Australia and New Zealand’s leading specialist intellectual property law firm. Pearce IP, consistently ranked in every notable legal IP directory, is a reflection of Naomi’s commitment to excellence, her passion for doing things better, and her visionary leadership.
The Elite Women list, honours women in law who:
- balance “strong legal ability with empathetic and ethical leadership”;
- combine “legal expertise with emotional intelligence, cultural competence and a commitment to service through mentoring and pro bono work”;
- succeed “in spaces that weren’t built with them in mind and still finding ways to thrive, influence and reshape the profession”;
- adapt “to change with resilience, creativity and openness to new ideas”;
- lead “by example through visibility and managing people well”; and
- raise “the profile of women lawyers and creating opportunities for others.”
Pearce IP’s Deputy CEO and Head of People Adele Chadwick says:
Naomi is not only an outstanding lawyer, she is a visionary leader, driven to achieve successes others only dream of. The Executive team at Pearce IP are committed to furthering Naomi’s vision for Pearce IP, and we are all so incredibly proud of her achievements.
As other firms across Australasia continue to grapple with gender equity gaps, Pearce IP stands as evidence that inclusion and commercial excellence are not mutually exclusive — they are, in fact, inseparable.
About Pearce IP
Pearce IP is a specialist firm offering intellectual property specialist lawyers and attorneys with a focus on the life sciences industries. Pearce IP and its leaders are ranked in every notable legal directory for legal, patent and trade mark excellence, including: Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, IAM Patent 1000, IAM Strategy 300, MIP IP Stars, Doyles Guide, WTR 1000, Best Lawyers, WIPR Leaders, 5 Star IP Lawyers, among others.
In 2025, Pearce IP was recognised by Australasian Lawyer and New Zealand Lawyer’s 5 Star Employer of Choice, and is the “Standout Winner” for inclusion and culture for firms with less than 100 employees. Pearce IP was awarded “IP Team of the Year” by Lawyers Weekly at the 2021 Australian Law Awards. Pearce IP is recognised by Managing IP as the only leading ANZ IP firm with a female founder, and is certified by WEConnect International as women owned.
Naomi Pearce
CEO, Executive Lawyer (AU, NZ), Patent Attorney (AU, NZ) & Trade Mark Attorney (AU)
Naomi is the founder of Pearce IP, and is one of Australia’s leading IP practitioners. Naomi is a market leading, strategic, commercially astute, patent lawyer, patent attorney and trade mark attorney, with over 25 years’ experience, and a background in molecular biology/biochemistry. Ranked in virtually every notable legal directory, highly regarded by peers and clients, with a background in molecular biology, Naomi is renown for her successful and elegant IP/legal strategies.
Among other awards, Naomi is ranked in Chambers, IAM Patent 1000, IAM Strategy 300, is a MIP “Patent Star”, and is recognised as a WIPR Leader for patents and trade marks. Naomi is the 2023 Lawyers Weekly “IP Partner of the Year”, the 2022 Lexology client choice award recipient for Life Sciences, the 2022 Asia Pacific Women in Business Law “Patent Lawyer of the Year” and the 2021 Lawyers Weekly Women in Law SME “Partner of the Year”. Naomi is the founder of Pearce IP, which commenced in 2017 and won 2021 “IP Team of the Year” at the Australian Law Awards.