Peter O’Sullivan
Executive, Deputy CEO & Head of People and Culture
BA, LLB (Hons), MBA, GAICD, CAHRI
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Laws (with Honours)
Bachelor of Arts (Japanese language major)
Graduate member, Australian Institute of Company Directors
Certified member, Australian Human Resources Institute
Solicitor (Queensland Supreme Court and High Court of Australia)
Email: peter.osullivan@pearceIP.law
Tel: +61 (0) 2 9023 9988
Peter is Deputy CEO and Head of People & Culture at Pearce IP, leading the Corporate Services team and operating as the CEO’s second-in-command.
An experienced C-suite professional services executive, Peter has worked in HR leadership positions across a range of industries and in private and public sector organisations, working at senior levels to shape leadership capability, culture, organisational change, and business strategy. Prior to his executive career, Peter practised as a lawyer in the areas of commercial litigation and business restructuring.
A Graduate member of the AICD, he has served as a Board director in not-for-profit organisations in the health and arts sectors, including as Deputy Chair.
In 2025, Peter completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School. He has extensive experience working across cultures and his work has been recognised as having global as well as local impact.
Peter’s leadership approach is deeply grounded in people, and balances strategic, commercial and operational considerations.
Pearce IP Awards
Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer's 5-Star Employer of Choice 2025 & "Standout Winner” for Inclusion and Culture 2025
Chambers and Partners
Global - Intellectual Property (2026, 2025)
Asia Pacific - Intellectual Property (2026, 2025, 2024)
Winner - Asia Pacific and Greater China Region Awards 2025 - DEI: Outstanding Firm (2025)
Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Market Leading Intellectual Property Firm (2026, 2025, 2024, 2023)
Asia IP
Ranked for Patent Prosecution (2026, 2025)
Ranked for Patent Contentious (2026, 2025)
Ranked for Trademark Prosecution (2026)
Ranked for IP Prosecution (2024, 2023)
IAM Patent 1000
Silver - Litigation (Australia) (2026, 2025)
Silver - Prosecution (Australia) (2026, 2025)
Bronze - Prosecution (New Zealand) (2026, 2025)
Bronze - Litigation (Australia) (2023, 2022, 2021)
Bronze - Prosecution (Australia) (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021)
Australian Law Awards (Lawyers Weekly)
Finalist – Women in Law Awards – Boutique Diversity Firm of the Year (2022)
Finalist – Intellectual Property Team of the Year (2022)
Winner – Intellectual Property Team of the Year (2021)
Managing IP Stars
Patent Prosecution (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022)
Trade Mark - Patent & Trade Mark Attorney Firms (2025)
Patent Disputes (2025)
The Only Leading Female Owned Life Sciences focussed IP Firm (2023)
Pearce IP ranked firm (2021)
World Trademark Review (WTR 1000)
Prosecution & Strategy, Australia and New Zealand (2026)
Litigation & Prosecution Australia - Silver (2025)
Litigation & Prosecution New Zealand (2025)
Litigation & Prosecution Australia (2024)
Best Lawyers
Best Law Firm - Australia (2027, 2026)
Women in Business Law Awards - APAC
Shortlisted – Australian Firm of the Year (2022)
Lexology Legal Influencer
Australasia – Healthcare & Life Sciences (Q4 2025, Q2 2025, Q1 2025, Q2 2024, Q1 2024, Q4 2023, Q3 2023, Q2 2023, Q3 2022, Q2 2022, Q1 2021, Q4 2020)
Australasia - Dispute Resolution (Q4 2025)
Cross-border – Healthcare & Life Sciences (Q4 2025, Q2 2025, Q1 2025, Q4 2024, Q3 2024, Q2 2024, Q1 2024, Q4 2023, Q3 2023, Q2 2023, Q1 2023)
Europe – Healthcare & Life Sciences (Q2 2025, Q1 2025)
Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer
Top Specialist Firm (2025)
5-Star Employer of Choice (2025)
"Standout Winner” for Inclusion and Culture (<100 employees) (2025)
Top Boutique Firm (2024)
5-Star Intellectual Property Law Firm (2021)
Doyles Intellectual Property
Leading Intellectual Property (2021, 2020)
Leading Contentious Intellectual Property Law Firm (2026, 2025)
OUR VISION
By 2027, be the premier life sciences IP practice in
Australia and New Zealand.